(Read it and you’ll get all giddy too.)
Helen H. Lahr
Valentine’s Day in Junior High School
My family and I (Mother, Daddy, and Irene) had been living in Lancaster for a little over a year and it was Valentine’s Day again. It was the custom to place a box (our homeroom teacher did this) on the table by the window. Mr. Bendzfield was the name of the teacher. He was also our Algebra teacher. Anyone in any of the classes could come, either into their room or any other room in the school and place a card (or cards) in the boxes.
It was with trembling and trepidation that we listened as the teacher read out loud the names on each card. There were lots and lots of giggles, oohs and aahs. Finally, the reading of the names ended and we were dismissed. I received not one card, but two cards from Charles. I was very nervous when I stepped outside of the school. My sister, Anna and Ruth (Charles’ first cousins) were waiting for me. We walked home together every day. Charles was nowhere to be seen.
I continued to be nervous all or most of the weekend because I knew I would see Charles in church on Sunday. When I did see him he didn’t say a word – he just looked embarrassed. I, of course, didn’t say anything about the card. My sister really teased me.
Well, the years passed. I first saw my first husband-to-be, off and on. Because we saw each other only at the church conference held in Philadelphia it took awhile but we began to become attracted to each other.
One weekend, the young man who was to become my husband came down to Philadelphia. He asked my parents permission to take me to a stage show. My sister and I weren’t allowed to go to shows or movies on Sunday but to my surprise my father said, “Yes”. This told me that my father and mother really liked him. Our friendship continued to blossom and eventually led to our marriage.