So; you almost went to a slumber party for a pony. Once upon a time long, long ago I went to a birthday party for a horse. Tarry yet awhile and I’ll spin you a yarn about that equine event.
The horse’s owner lived far, far away in the deep woods. The horse’s party was pretty much an excuse to have a get together, and through reasons that are no longer clear to me, I was invited to and accepted the invitation to this unusual affair. Although the owner of the horse was a girl of some 11 years of age, most of the attendees were like me, about 19 or 20. A girl of my age, a cousin of the horse family, was visiting there and attended the party. Never before had my eyes been privileged to rest upon such a vision of beauty, and never before had I encountered a girl of such charm, wit and general coolness.
By 9:00 pm I had convinced this Aphrodite Incarnate that the best thing to do was for the two of us to leave there and go about 20 miles up the road to a bar that had a band and a dance floor, so go we did. By that time in my life I had twirled many a winsome lass around the hardwood floor, yet never had there been one that was such a fine dancing partner.
The joint closed at 2:00 am, so we went back to her cousin’s house and sat on the front porch talking until the gray light of early dawn started to show in the East. By that time in my life I had kissed many a fair lass, but never had there been a kiss so warm, sweet and full of promise as that one when I kissed her good night.
She was leaving there the next day to go visit another cousin some 40 miles up the road and she wasn’t certain of the phone number or address there, so we left it that she would write me a letter about Tuesday and tell me how to get in touch with her. Before you laugh at the snail-mail arrangement, ye of this cyber-age, I would remind you that this happened in ancient times, decades before cell phones or the internet and when a long distance phone call involved a serious financial decision.
I dutifully checked my mail every afternoon, and Thursday my heart was lightened when a letter by an unfamiliar hand appeared. It was from Her! The Girl I Had Found At Last! Her letter!
‘Twas in this letter that she informed me that alas, she was married. She apologized for not telling me last Saturday night, but said she had been married for over three years and hadn’t had a moment of joy or simple pleasure in all that time. She explained that she hadn’t wanted to spoil the fine outing we were having, so she’d put reality aside and let the evening go where it would. She thanked me for the wonderful time, said it would be impossible for us to see each other again, and closed with: “I could have loved you.” Cleverly, she didn’t put a return address on the envelope.
Then did I rage against the fates! Determined to steal the object of my desire, I went back to her cousin’s house where the horse’s party had been. There the lady of the house told me that I didn’t know what I was getting into. She said: “Go back to Bay County and stay there.” Not so easily deterred, I nosed around and asked questions of friends of friends and thought I’d figured out what small town the Fair Lady called home. I went there, hung around half a day trying to find her and finally managed to attract the unwelcome attention of a deputy sheriff.
He also told me to go back to Bay County and stay there. He added: “If I catch you around here again, I’ll keep you in a cell for a while and I can promise you won’t like it.”
So I went back to the coast, sat on the beach for a couple of hours, cried my eyes out and after some time passed, got over it.
Take this as a cautionary tale, oh dear and faithful readers: Strange elements may fill your universe if you go to a party that honors a horse or pony. You may be provided with a set of bright and wonderful memories, coupled with bitter disappointment in full measure.
Peace.
: I always appreciate those.