Chapter 6: Memories of Jimmy
"Let's Dance!" announced Dick Clark. At the sound of a steady drumbeat the bandstand dancers rushed off the bleachers, headed for the dance floor. Among them were Roxanne and Meg who were already moving to the intoxicating beat.
"Hey baby won't you take a chance?/ Say that you'll let me have this dance?/ Well let's dance/ Let's dance/ We'll do the twist, the stomp, and mashed potato too/ Any old dance that you wanna do/ Well let's dance/ Let's dance," the words came out over the speakers.
The words hit Meg like a bitter, icy cold wind.
"Meg, are you okay?" inquired Roxanne reaching out to touch Meg's shoulder. "You look a little green."
"This song…it was playing when Jimmy and I danced at the drive-in," Meg answered back.
"Oh, oohhh," replied Roxanne. She looked at her friend with concern. Then she straightened and said sternly, "Meg you have to face this head on. Just dance anyway. Don't let it get to you." Saying that, she turned around and began dancing with a tall, muscular, blond, brown-eyed boy.
C'mon Meg, she told herself. Just dance.
As she danced memories of that night at the drive-in came flooding back crashing into every corner of her mind. Jimmy and her jumping out of the car, running to where the other teens were dancing. The beach movie with the actors and actresses clothed in swim suits and beach gear dancing on the beach. She felt the joy rising in her reminding her of all the fun she'd had. How it reminded her of when she and Roxanne had danced with Jay and the Americans that one night with the headlights from cars to light their "dance floor." Then Jimmy reaching down and lifting Meg up on the trunk of a car to dance beside him.
It was so much fun! she thought. She and Jimmy did have fun together. He was more than her dance partner; he was her friend. Why else would she allowed him to call Luke her "Clark Kent boyfriend?" She missed him. She missed their fun times together.
As the next song began to play, Meg continued to jog through her memories made with Jimmy. Thinking about him she could almost picture him before her. His glowing smile directed at her as they danced in front of the camera. She thought of when she had hit him in the nose by accident at the theater causing it to bleed. She had been so mortified! That's the same night Sam and I walked together, she thought. Without Jimmy taking me on that date, Sam and I would have never started our friendship. She chuckled to herself thinking again about Jimmy's bloody nose. It was quite funny now that I think about it!
Up in the booth Michael saw the sparkle in Meg's eyes. She's back, he thought smiling.
Meg was snapped out of her trip down memory lane when she heard the song "He's So Fine" sung by The Chiffons playing. This brought back the memory of when Jimmy drove her home from the drive-in. He had kissed her that night. He confessed his feelings about her, leaned over, and softly brushed her lips with his. "…He's so fine/ Oh, yeah!/ Gotta be mine/ Oh, yeah!," had overflowed her mind with the touch of his tender kiss. She sensed his emotion behind it. His warm breath tickling her upper lip before their lips had connected. Then the passion pouring from him over to her. Yet, she didn't want him; she wanted Luke. She listened to the words being sung, "He's a soft spoken guy/ Also seems kind of shy," grinning. The song really did describe Jimmy to a "T."
Meg sighed. It wasn't long after that date Jimmy had decided to join the Marines. And before she knew it, he was gone. Now their friendship relied on the letters she received from him every two weeks. Well…used to, she corrected herself climbing up the bleachers to her seat.
She didn't hear the announcement of the singer who was greeted by the dancers with hollers and excessive applause. She was staring at the place where Jimmy used to sit. Where are you, Jimmy? she asked although she knew there would be no response. Why haven't you written?