.....got her in my sights....

OK, so I left off with Marcy and I not on such great terms. And for the record, I was a selfish ass at the ski mountain, and I know it.

There was official phone silence as well as social silence between Marcy and I for the next few weeks..... then it happened. Out of the blue, Marcy called me and asked me if I would consider coming to her home and having dinner. She was going to make one of her mother's famous lasagne's and needed someone to share it with. (I am paraphrasing here, but she really did say something like that.)

The day came, and I found myself running late from my second job, and showed up about 45 minutes late for the dinner and not having a 15 pound "brick" phone to call her on, she waited patiently - not knowing if I was actually going to show up. (Her mother also.) Upon arrival, she met me at the door and invited me in with a sweet smile and pleasant attitude despite my tardiness. We sat down to a well balanced meal of Lasagne (very good), salad and bread. I don't remember dessert, but I believe we had something - maybe jello with cool-whip? Anyways, her mother visited with us for a while, and then excused herself to her bedroom leaving Marcy and I alone to talk. And talk, we did!

At about midnight, I called my folks to let them know I was OK. About 2:30, I decided I needed to head for home. The time flew as Marcy and I had our very first real heart to heart discussion. We covered everything from favorite foods to favorite movie actors. I also took the time to apologize for my behavior on the ski trip. The methods of our communication improved by 90% that evening, and I finally left feeling fulfilled and understood. I believe we both felt that way.

It finally came time for me to start saying goodbye to friends and family as I was getting close to my Feb. 7, 1990 departure date for my mission. Those last few weeks went by so fast with either work or preparations, I didn't have a social life at all. On the last Sunday before I left, my family had an "open house" at the Woodland, WA building for all who wanted to come. About 15 of my YSA ward friends came and Marcy came with her mother. That was a whirlwind day and I recall my mother being very perplexed by all of the "girls" in attendance. "All friends", I made it plain to her. It's because of all of the new faces that my mother doesn't remember meeting Marcy that day.

There was a fireside that night that I attended, and I was able to say goodbye to everybody else I hadn't already seen that day. Marcy had come to the FS with some friends who conveniently abandoned her so that I would "have" to take her home. Which was good because she had another "gift" she had left at home that she needed to give me.

At her house, I opened a gift of a white shirt (very popular gift that Christmas as well), and for the first time saw this fine young lady shed a tear. She told me she was proud of me. She told me that she would miss me. She told me that she would write when she could, but that she expected to keep herself busy with school and work. She also told me that 2 years was a long time, and that she didn't know where her mind would be by the time I returned home, but that she would always be supportive of my mission responsibility.

And then,..... We kissed for the first time. Passionate, yet innocent. Guarded, yet passionate. We found ourselves talking (off and on) for the next few hours about future plans and goals. I didn't know mascara could run so far down a cheek and then onto a satin, sapphire blue dress. This young woman had my attention as well as my heart.

Then, we kissed for the last time. Sweetly, innocently.

I came away that evening knowing that Marcy was going to fit into a future of mine in some way. I came away knowing that she had a very sharp intellect. This woman intellectually challenged me, and inspired me to be a better person. All of the things that I wasn't, she was.

She never, however, told me she loved me. I had a hard time with that.

I left on my mission two days later. I was free to serve and do what was expected of me. I really had no expectations. I was able to focus on my mission. That was her plan. That was my plan. And it worked, mostly.........