The Sea vs.the Music

By Barbara Trainin Blank
Writer, Editor
Blank Page Writing

   

   Becky loved her father. He was wise, learned, and understood her well. Partly because of his exciting profession in community service, she wished she could have been a boy. Maybe not literally; just a feeling that males had it better in the world. 

   Her mother’s life seemed circumscribed. She had a career before Betsy’s older brother was born but had given it up for housework and child-rearing. Boring, Betsy thought.

   She preferred being thought a tomboy—though she wasn’t athletic. Preferred wearing her hair short and no makeup. She disliked when boys looked at her too much.

   That remained Becky’s strong feeling till, at age 13, she attended a summer program for kids entering high school. It was based on the coast of the Mediterranean, warm and placid compared with oceans. The program was full of activities but left plenty of time for swimming.

   Mostly Becky talked with the few guys she knew from elementary school—seeing them as non-threatening pals. Then one night, during a sunset swim, Becky took a particularly strong kick and hit the leg of a boy she didn’t know. They apologized to each other, awkwardly. Suddenly she felt something strange. A tingling. She and the boy—named Alan—began a short conversation. The next day they sat together for breakfast. All of a sudden Becky didn’t want to be a boy anymore. It was more fun talking to a boy as a girl.

   The two did a great deal of talking after that. Then the teasing began. Someone had gotten wind of the fact that they were in the sea a lot together, which started a minor “scandal.” Their ages being what they were, no one suspected anything intimate. But they were subjected to teasing, of the “Becky and Alan kissing” type. He hugged her twice, especially on the program’s last day.

   Becky didn’t think she’d see him again. They lived several miles away, and of course, didn’t even have junior licenses. But one day, he called, asking her to come with him to a rock concert. Of course, they'd have to be driven/chaperoned by an adult, but my father wouldn't have it. 

   Rock music wasn't what she was supposed to be listening to, and she was "too young" to date. Alan was disappointed and didn't call again. She was disappointed too; she had liked him. True, she preferred classical music and Broadway, but what was the matter with a little rock?

   Years later, she married, in a hum-drum way. One day, her brother called with surprising news. One of his neighbors had a cousin named Alan, visiting from out of town. An entertainment lawyer. Upon hearing my brother's unusual last name, he asked: "Are you related to Becky X?" 

   When my brother confirmed the family connection, Alan commented: "She was the most interesting girl I ever knew." 

   One time her father didn't understand her.

Chance Meeting

   Becky heard of Alan’s compliment many years after the two of them had enjoyed good conversations and swimming and formed a friendship, if not the germ of something more.

   But after the disappointment of not being able to go on a date because of her father’s objections, and Alan giving in too easily, in her opinion, she didn’t dwell on it.

   It was also that starting with high school and through college and beyond, Becky had plenty of dates. Finally, she settled into that hum-drum marriage that seemed “safe.”

   When she got word of Alan’s compliment years later, Becky smiled, questioning whether he had chosen the best. Why not “the nicest?” But she enjoyed the compliment as it was, nonetheless. She went on with her hum-drum marriage, occasionally wondering if there would have been a more exciting one somewhere.

   But she spent little time thinking of any particular guy in her past who might have fit the bill. And when she did think of guys in the past, it was rarely of Alan. That relationship was a long time ago, when they were “just kids.” And as pleasant it had been, it was a “summer romance” that might not have lasted past that date to the rock concert if it happened. They would have needed driver’s licenses…

   Then, one day there was an unexpected change. Becky was visiting her brother and sister-in-law, and Alan happened to be visiting the cousin to whom he had revealed the “most-interesting girl” comment.

   Becky and Alan even ended up in the same place: the neighborhood bagel shop. Becky had been standing in line for a while—it was a popular place. She had to be patient, because she was helping Helene, her sister-in-law, with weekend food shopping. She realized it would be impossible for her carry so many bagels, so she asked the clerk if they could be delivered.

   “Yes,” he said. “But it’ll take some time. What’s the address?”

   Becky gave him her brother’s address, at which point the lone person in the place sitting at a table eating a bagel and cream cheese popped up his head.

   “Hey, that’s the address of my cousin’s best friend,” he said. “How do you know them?”

   “My brother is your cousin’s best friend,” she laughed.

   “Wow, Small world. But then, this is a pretty small town.”

   “Do you live here?” she asked.

   “Wait,” he interrupted. “I know you.”

   “You do?”

   “Yes. You’re Becky, right? I’m Alan. Do you remember me?”

She did a huge double-take.

   “Yes, of course. An even smaller world. Do you live here?”

   “Used to. Now it’s California. Entertainment lawyer.”

   “Oh, yeah. I knew that.”

   “And what do you do?”

   “High-school teacher. English.

   “Guess you don’t get away much. But now that you’re here, would you like to take a walk after dinner?”

She nodded.

   “But wait. You’re married, aren’t you?”

She shook her head. “Not anymore.”