THE AUTOGRAPH BOOK!

(Write a story about a proposal.)

George sits on the old wooden front steps of the house in which he grew up. He is waiting for the best part of everyday. He is waiting to see Gladys open the curtains or drapes of her dining room windows. If today is like every day for years and years, she will wave to him and then disappear into her home to do whatever needs doing that day. The wave is his signal that his day can begin too so he gets up and goes into breakfast.

~~~~~

George remembers the first time he really noticed Gladys. She might have been about seven and he was maybe nine. He knows his eyes must have looked upon her much earlier than that as they have always lived across the street from each other but he didn’t really notice her until the school bus stop.

Kids would gather at the school bus stop, kids from about four or five blocks each way along the road. Most times there were about eight or even a dozen kids by the time the bus arrived and this one morning, for no particular reason he can remember, he noticed Gladys in the middle of the confusion of kids and books and half eaten breakfast toast.

The light was just right or the morning sun slanted low maybe but it fell on her hair and it had a shine like an advertisement for clean. He wanted to reach out and touch that silky looking hair. At that moment, he had to turn away as he was feeling happy and confused and embarrassed all at the same time.

It became George’s delight, these ten or fifteen minutes each morning at the bus stop. He noticed everything about her over time. How she didn’t just crumple the top of her lunch bag shut but instead folded it over a few times with sharp folded edges. She didn’t seem more fussy than the other girls but really he shouldn’t even say that as he never noticed the other girls.

He remembers clearly by the time third grade rolled around, he pretty much knew everything about her. Third grade was the year all the girls and even some of the boys had autograph books. I don’t know if you know what an autograph book is or was, but it was the popular thing for a couple years , a smallish book with blank pages. You would ask your friends and even your teacher to sign your book, thus the name autograph book. There were some cute poems and rhymes written or just a plain signature but if someone asked you, it was polite to write something into their book. I remember I didn’t own an autograph book and when asked I usually tried to scribble my name so if the other guys saw it maybe they wouldn’t recognize that I had done this stupid thing. I remember some cute poems and sayings, they make me smile even today. I remember writing in Gladys’ book….”George” and in tiny letters..”just George”. Feel kind of stupid even remembering that.

Well life went on, Gladys went on to college while I was away in the Air Force and I’d occasionally see her at Fourth of July picnics or things like that. She had never married and taught at the elementary school here in town. I always looked to see the new way she was wearing her hair and I never lost the idea of wanting to touch it.  

As George remembers all of these insignificant things it stirs those feelings of happy confused times. He realizes she still has the same effect on him. He builds his days off of the morning wave. If they were married that might be a kiss to the forehead or a straightening of his collar but all he gets is this wave. He wonders if Gladys looks forward to seeing him on the steps each morning. Now he chuckles and scratches his head, he is wondering why not ask her? Just in conversation some day, but he was pretty sure he would never do that.

A short time later George is in the grocery store picking up the same boring stuff week after week. He eats the same meals over and over. He finds himself wondering what Gladys eats, does she make cooking an adventure and try new things or is she content like him to just get meals done. A necessity of life. As George passes the greeting card section, he stops suddenly, he is not sure why but he begins looking at the cards and reading the verses. It reminds him of those autograph books. Most of the verses made you smile, some were very sincere and some sad. Then he finds some with just blank inside and he realizes you can add your own message. And this is where the idea was hatched. He chooses three of the blank ones, three Incase he messes up writing in his verse.  

The next morning George is actually grinning ear to ear as he sits on his steps. He actually waves first when Gladys opens her drapes. He is a man on a mission. Today is the day he plans to make a fool of himself….a serious fool of himself.

Going inside to his desk, he chooses one of the cards….he picks up the pen and sits poised to write. Should he really do this? Good Heavens! This could all backfire but then he thinks of that hair he has always wanted to touch, it has strands of silver in it now but still very lovely! He gathers up his nerve and he writes….

“I love you little, I love you mighty,

I wish your pajamas were next to my nighty ,

Now don’t get excited and don’t lose your head,

I mean on the clothesline and not in bed!”

Do you remember this from third grade and autograph books? I’m not sure why it popped into my head but it brought back the old days. Maybe you would join me for supper some evening and we can talk about the old days! They were good old days and when I see you each morning, those memories come flooding back to me. It is a very pleasant thing! If you would rather not, I will perfectly understand.   

He signs it…...George….and in tiny letters...just George.

P.S. I will know in the morning, if you don’t open your drapes, I will know you think I’ve lost all the marbles from my marble bag (chuckle) , but if you are willing to indulge an old friend, I think I would enjoy it very much!

Quickly George seals the card, addresses the envelope and fixes on a stamp. He will quickly mail it while his nerve is strong then he will cross his fingers and wait for the drapes to open.