Just a few months ago I watched this girl I went to high school with join Facebook and start “friending” everyone…..except me. What did I do wrong? We were friends back then I think? Did she not remember me? Do I have internet bad breath? Finally after a month, I broke down and “friended” her. And guess what? She accepted.
I worried at first that maybe she gave me the charity “friend.” I actually got a little angry and sent her a message, “What is up with waiting 30 days to friend me?”
In all essence, I was 16 again. 30 years later and uncountable generations of technology and I am stressing over whether someone clicks a button on their Facebook page.
Being 16 today and talking to girls is a breeze compared to 1980. They can text, IM, and Facebook. It is not nearly as difficult as say Kevin Arnold passing a love note to Winnie Cooper.
I remember being 16 and watching some girl walk the halls at Mauldin High School. Basically looking like I had a restraining order against me by staying 50 feet away at all times. Hoping that maybe at lunch or in a class she will smile at me. The job of every love sick 16 year old boy was to strategically manufacture some organized encounter that she thinks is completely random.
Back in 1980 my bedroom was like the War room at the White House. I had charts and graphs. Class schedules of about 23 girls and rudimentary drawings of their neighborhoods. Me and my friends were like the Joint Chiefs of Staff!
Here is how I asked out a girl at 16. First I would stand beside the phone for about 10 minutes. Then I would dial 3 numbers and hang up. 5 numbers and hang up. 7 numbers and get one ring…hang up. This is before caller id thank God. Then after another 20 minutes of agony I would let it ring a few times and when someone answered…….. I would hang up.
I’m getting nauseous just thinking about it.
My 17 year old daughter is navigating the dating scene and my 14 year old son is just navigating being cool! I wouldn’t trade places with them for any amount of money.
It is a miracle I ever got married. Now that I think about it, April asked me out first.
