A Memorial Day Weekend Story

[Sheilah Peake]

Every now and then, someone comes along in your life and changes it in a way that you never thought possible. Sometimes you don’t even realize it until many years down the road, when suddenly you have one of those “Aha!” moments, and it all suddenly becomes crystal clear, and you wonder why you never understood it before now. That’s what makes it so powerful and so magical, and why you have carried that special memory with you all this time, just waiting for that “Aha!” moment to strike. For me, that special “moment”, was actually the summer of 1977, more specifically, from the Saturday before Memorial Day that year, until the Saturday after Labor Day. This is the “Dear John” letter that I never wrote, and not the usual “Dear John” letter, this one is a little different.

Dear John,

What a wonderful summer this has been! I cannot remember ever having such a fun time. I remember the night we met, the day I arrived at Savannah Beach, now better known as Tybee Island. It was the Saturday before Memorial Day. I didn’t really want to come, but my parents made me come with them, because they didn’t want to leave me at home by myself. Guess they thought I would get into trouble staying at home by myself without them to look out for me; little did they know that I would be meeting you when I got here. So now I’m really glad they made me come on this vacation with them after all. Truthfully, however, it’s my Aunt’s fault that I met you, because she was the one who elbowed me in the side, and said “He’s kind of cute”. I wasn’t wearing my glasses, for vanities sake, so I couldn’t really see all that well. And it was my Aunt who insisted that we walk back through the carnival, where you were working, and take a ride on the bumper cars. I think she somehow knew I’d be going on a date later that night. We only stayed out for a short while, but spent a couple of good hours sitting on the screened porch of the rental where my parents and I were staying, just talking until the wee hours. I think I was in love before you turned the corner of the street heading back to your place in the early hours of that first night. The rest of that week was like heaven on earth for me. I think we spent every waking hour we could together, when you weren’t working. I know I spent a lot of time at the carnival riding rides, or close by just waiting for you to get off work. By this time, we had come to some sort of understanding with my parents that you had to work late, so our dates were not until after you got off work, which meant I was going to be out until the wee morning hours with you.

Of course, I did spend some of the time with my parents, especially my Dad. He and I would go fishing together, or walking on the beach early in the mornings. I don’t know how I existed on so little sleep, but I know it was well worth it. Those are some of the best memories I have of me and my Dad. You noticed that too, and commented on how well my Dad and I got along. You talked about how you didn’t get along with your Dad; you thought what my Dad and I had was really special.

I really didn’t want to leave at the end of that week, but we made plans for me to come back over the 4th of July weekend. I wrote to you and told you my plans for coming back to visit, and you called to make sure I was still coming down to visit. So over the 4th of July weekend I came back to Savannah Beach, and spent the entire weekend with you. We both almost got into big trouble, because you stayed out of work one day, and I stayed a day longer than I was supposed to. We just wanted to be together; I don’t know about you, but I just didn’t want to ever leave you. However, I had to get back to work and school; and you had work to do, so I went back home, but not before planning to be back again in a few weeks.

It was Labor Day week before my parents and I came back for another week’s vacation. I was afraid maybe you would already be gone, but you were still there. We spent another wonderful week together. At least for me it was a wonderful week. A time of my life that has lived on and haunted me ever since. I thought you cared as much for me as I did for you. You said you would write before you left Savannah; that you would come to see me. I hoped you would call, or write, but I never heard from you. But in that summer, you gave me a wonderful gift. A gift that I’ve carried with me ever since. Like a flower opening its bloom, it has blossomed over time, it keeps revealing bits and pieces of wisdom that I didn’t realize at the time, but have played out over the course of my life, so far, and I’m sure will continue until it’s end.

You see, until I met you, I had been dating this guy back home since I had started high school. I dated him; he dated anybody he wanted to. You made me realize that I didn’t need to be treated like that. I was worthy of more than that. I was somebody; I had feelings, that I needed to be treated with respect. You made me feel good about myself, smart, funny, pretty; all the things that no one had ever made me feel before. That’s when it dawned on me, that my parents let me go out with you, even though it was late at night, because you had the decency to walk down and get me and walk me back home at the end of our dates. You respected my parents enough to come to them and ask if it was okay to take me out. You introduced yourself and shook my Dad’s hand. I realized that I had gone out with this guy back home off and on for four years, and I could not recall him ever having introduced himself to my Dad, much less shake his hand. Now I know why my Dad never liked him. Speaking of my Dad, those times he and I went fishing together or just walking on the beach, those are some of my most cherished memories. I didn’t realize how special it was then, now I know how special it was, and I cherish every minute. You talked about my family spending time together, going on vacations; things that you said your family didn’t do; things I took for granted back then; now I realize how lucky I’ve been. I’ve had the love of family my whole life; and for one beautiful summer, I had the love of John. Thank you, wherever you are.