There's a Minister Handy

Campmeeting. June 2006.

"Hey."

I looked up into a nameless face. Nameless, yes, but familiar. I'd seen her sitting in the back all morning. Alone.

"You play some really cool songs. Where do you get them from?"

I studied her for a brief moment. Shoulders high, weak eye contact, head turned slightly to one side. Definitely a little anxious. I smiled.

Her name was Mandy, as it turns out. She was eighteen, and had just graduated from academy. Over the remainder of the weekend, we chatted about everything and nothing in between meetings.

Saturday night, as we were packing up, I pondered the possibility of never seeing her again. I didn't like it.

"So... do you have any big plans for tonight?"

We wound up going out to see a movie. Dutch treat, because she beat me to the ticket counter.

The next morning I was supposed to be leaving for the twelve hour drive home. Instead, I called Mandy.

"So how about breakfast?"

"I would, but I'm kinda out of money."

"Don't worry about the money. How about breakfast?"

"Umm.. I'd love to."

"Great, can I pick you up in fifteen minutes?"

"NO! I mean, I need to take a shower and get dressed and stuff..."

(I've made that mistake a number of times. Laugh, if you must. :P)

"Ok, well... when can I pick you up?"

"Maybe in an hour?"

(How long can it take to take a shower and get dressed? Yeeesh.)

"Great. See you then!"

(Incidentally, I arrived exactly one hour later. She was still in the bathroom; I had to wait another five minutes.)

I never asked Mandy how many guys she'd dated, but she mentioned four different relationships over breakfast. And some really nasty break-up stories. I wondered what prompted her to keep trying with guys who treated her so badly. We talked for hours. I dunno how long. It was early afternoon before we were back in the car on the way home.

"You know, this is a first for me."

I looked over at her. "Hum?"

"I've never actually had a guy take me somewhere and pay for it."