A few months ago Melanie began disecting her past relationships, then my brother started. At the time I wrote the story of me and Bubba. It’s funny the things you remember when you really start focusing. I had fun writing it and believe it or not it gave me some insight into my realtionship with Mr. Wrong. I have broken it up into two posts, mainly so you will get used to visiting my blog…. leave you wanting more…. or something like that……
“So can I get your phone number?” the question came from a deep voice belonging to the guy helping us at a local auto parts store. I turned and looked at my friend waiting for her to respond. After all he couldn’t possibly be talking to me. But he looked at Tammy and said, “Not yours.” He nodded his head towards me, “Hers.” I realized he was looking at me. I was so shocked I just shook my head.
It was Valentine’s night and Tammy and I were supposed to be at work. Instead we were at an auto parts store where the guy behind the counter had offered to call someone he knew to come install some car part Tammy needed. “Come on,” Tammy said, pulling on my arm practically dragging me outside. “Would you stop? His name is Bubba, for Pete’s sake. He has friends to call that can come fix your car. You do not get any more redneck than that.”
“This is Kentucky,” I replied, “all the boys fix cars. And I’m pretty sure Bubba is a nickname.” Although Tammy and I had grown up in neighboring towns in Virginia we never met until we ended up at Asbury College, a small college in a small town outside Lexington, Kentucky, tucked into the rolling hills amongst the horse farms and blue grass.
I was used to being the girl in the background. When Tammy needed a wing man, she called me. I was the girl everyone wanted to be friends with but no guys wanted to date, or so I thought. When I look back, I realize I missed a lot of signals from guys because I lacked the self esteem to follow through. I mean, I hadn’t even given Bubba my number.
Out in the parking lot we waited beside the car, I was excited when I looked up and saw Bubba walking toward us. He was carrying some tools and the battery Tammy had just bought. Tammy popped the hood and as he changed the battery, I flirted. I mean I gave it my all, I leaned over the car, laughed at whatever he said. Finally before we left he asked for my number again, and this time I gave it to him.
This was back before cell phones, so the only phone number I had was the one in my dorm room. I missed him the first time he called. When I returned from class a few days later there was a message on the whiteboard that hung on our dorm door. Bubba called. My suitemate had followed it up with a redneck joke, but my heart still soared. He had called but would he call back?
A couple days later I got my answer. It was around 8 o’clock but he wanted to see me. He came and picked me up from my dorm and we went for a drive. Our small town was at the end of the road, and you don’t pass through it on the way to anywhere. You can take just about any road and eventually reach a dead end. We ended up at the end of the road under an old train bridge. He parked his truck, left the radio playing and we sat and talked for hours.
Finally, Bubba drove me back so that I wouldn’t be late for curfew. He parked in front of my dorm and turned to me. He laced his fingers through mine and held my hand. Slowly he pulled me close and kissed me. As first kisses go, it definitely ranks at the top of my list. I walked in on a cloud.
A few days later, I walked into the dorm after class and Bubba was waiting for me in the lobby with flowers. Getting flowers was a big deal for me. Somewhere I have a picture of the three red roses he gave me. Over the weeks we spent together he had given me all kinds of little gifts. One of them a picture he drew I have hung on to all these years.
One day I went with him when he got a stereo installed in his truck. At the stereo store they had an extensive home theater set up, and while he worked with the stereo guys, I started to watch a movie. Instead of wanting to leave when he was done he came and watched the movie with me. He sat with me, held my hand, kissed me. When the movie was over as we walked out he whispered a promise in my ear. “When we have our own house, I’ll build you one of these rooms.” It was the first time he had ever talked about our future. It ended up being the only movie we ever watched together.
We never went on traditional dates. He would call an hour before he wanted to show up and take me with him wherever he was going. He introduced me to a side of life I had never seen. He took me to a pool club across the street from a club where he occasionally worked as a bouncer. I was a small town girl who went to a strict conservative college. I had never been to the “wrong side of town.” I had never sat at a bar, I had never been to a street car race. He was exciting and scary and I feel for him quickly.
