Every time I hear this song by Pure Prairie League, I think of a girl I knew in high school who I really liked but never dated. I met Amy when I dated a friend of hers briefly. Although I was smitten with her friend at the time and had set Amy up to double date my friend, Amy was intriguing.
Amy wasn’t stereotypically attractive. She was tall, pale and delicate – nothing like any of the girls I dated in high school. She spoke softly but laughed loudly with a huge grin. She was intense and extremely intelligent. She didn’t shy away from deep meaningful conversations.
We drifted into and out of each other’s orbit because we had mutual friends. She also went to my high school, although since she was a year younger than me, we never had any classes together. In my senior year, I moved just a few blocks away from where Amy lived, so we’d meet at the end of the school day and trudge up the long hill together chatting the entire time.
I loved those walks and our talks. We were friends. We’d flirt. We’d laugh. We’d discuss how to solve worldly problems and gossip about our peers. She taught me how to taste wild honeysuckle. Every time it blooms now, I am reminded of her.
She challenged me on my beliefs about marijuana, alcohol and homosexuality. I was a know-it-all. She wasn’t and instead would pushed me to broaden my perspective.
On those walks, I sometimes wanted to grab her, kiss her. But I never did. (Although, I think I could easily have fallen in love with her).
At the time, we were both in committed relationships with other people and neither of us was the type to cheat so our friendship never went further. The timing was never right for us.
After high school, I saw Amy only one other time. We went to the movies together when we were both off during a college break break. I remember we saw “Good Morning Vietnam” and shared a popcorn. Then we went back to her house and talked for hours and hours. I had broken up with my long term girlfriend by then but Amy was still with her boyfriend who had joined the military.
I wanted to date her then. I was older. I missed our friendship. I was attracted to her and knew she was special. But it wasn’t to be.
We went our separate ways and never spoke again.
A few years ago, I learned that Amy had become a nurse, gotten married, had kids and settled down in our old hometown. I think she married the military guy. I hope she had a happy life.
I was lucky to have her as a friend. She was a special part of my life and left me with lots of good memories.