Page 50 - February Sun Rays

“Our First Date” First dates can be funny,
nerve wracking, romantic…
read on as we take a trip down
memory lane with Sun City
residents who shared their most
unforgettable first date stories.

SAMMY & ELLEN ALEXANDER

FRESHMAN ROMANCE

It was October, and I was without a date for the Mission Dance
at the all-girls Dominican High School in Detroit. My sometimes
best friend Vince intends to escort Mary Lou (of the big blue eyes).
Suddenly, Vince encounters a problem when his mother declares he
won’t be going to any dance unless his twin sister Vera-Ellen has a
date as well. Vera-Ellen, nicknamed “the Saint,” spends most of her
time in the basement casually reading books like War and Peace.
Vince knew his mom was serious. If he wanted permission to take
Mary Lou, he’d have to find his sister a date. Three days before the
dance, Vince came to me and insisted ($20 worth) that I take Vera-
Ellen to the dance. Attending stag was not an option, so I figured
what the heck. A friend with a ’56 Ford provided transportation.
On the night of the dance, Vera-Ellen climbed into the Ford back
seat with a telephone book in hand. “What the heck is that for?”
I inquired. Coldly, she replied, “Sister Mary Immaculate tells us
that this is required when riding on a boy’s lap in the back seat.”
Ellen and I only went out two more times after that night with
two years between each date. Then we up and married. We have
since had 41 beautiful years and two wonderful daughters together.

Sammy and Ellen Alexander, 1969

M.L. & ELAINE DANIELS M.L. and Elaine Daniels Lynda and Al Jones
GOOD CHRISTIAN WIDOW
want to be too forward, so I didn’t even AL & LYNDA JONES
Fifteen months after my wife died back offer to hold her hand when we went for a THEY CLICKED
in Abilene, I wrote to a preacher I knew walk afterward. The next day we drove to
in Austin asking if he knew of a good Lake Travis, and I suppose the romantic Al and I met on a blind date set up by a
Christian widow that I might meet. He views got to me because I kissed her. We mutual friend, after which I went on a
gave me a name from his congregation, married four weeks later and have now date with his roommate and he went on a
and we made arrangements to meet in been together for 33 years. date with my kid sister. For two weeks, I
Austin. As I approached Austin on the didn’t hear from Al or his roommate until
day of our meeting, I realized I had left suddenly I heard from both guys on the
her address and phone number back same day. I thought they were playing a
home. Looking in the phone book didn’t game. I found that I just did not click with
help as there were several hundred the roommate, and when Al asked me out
Stewarts, and she was listed by her late a few days later I said yes. The roommate
husband’s name, which I didn’t know. I was best man at our wedding, and my kid
could, however, remember the name of her sister was the maid-of-honor.
street and the approximate neighborhood,
so I drove around for an hour or so looking ONLINE: SCTEXAS.ORG
for the street. Finally, I asked a man I saw
mowing his front yard and learned I was
only two blocks away! I didn’t know her
house number, so I got out and started
knocking on doors, working my way down
the street. Finally, I came to a house where
the woman answering the door said, “You
must be M.L.” It was a Sunday, so we went
to church together that evening. I didn’t

48 | SUNRAYS FEBRUARY 2017