I loved going out with my girl friends dancing on a Friday night. All my girl friends were very hot. We never had to ask a guy to dance, ever, they were always asking us. I remember the night I met Carl at Club 2002...(so futuristic then...LOL). Its now the Mountain Sports shop in downtown Bangor, Maine. I kissed Carl for the first time in that parking garage across the street a couple weeks later. I remember thinking...okay now, this guy is a fab kisser..
The night I met Carl, we danced until at least 1 a.m., he was obviously adorable. He like me enough to go out and "get prepared" for the next time we met up...hahaha...little did he know, I was not that kind of gal. He figured it out pretty quickly. He said he remembers thinking at one point, early on in the first week or two...This girl is gorgeous, she is smart, she is a riot, she's so much fun to be with, she's going to college for education, WHY does she not have a long term boyfriend? He figured it out pretty quickly, but, fortunately for me, he was smitten and thought I was worth the wait, (or at least for as long as it took to talk me into his master plan..lol)..apparently I was worth it, almost 30 years later....
When we started dating we spent our Friday nights dancing. We would both work until 9 p.m., then go out afterwards until 1 a.m. ish to dance, then go home, get up by 8 a.m., go to work, then go out again on Saturday nights, dancing again. Sunday morning would come bright and early, I would get up, go to church, then sleep all Sunday after noon. I remember many a time almost falling asleep at the dinner table for Sunday Dinner. My parents did not understand what was wrong with me...hahahaha. That Sunday afternoon nap made up for my late nights over the weekend.
After Carl got an apartment with his roommate John Bryant, I would stay weekends at his apartment. I remember at one point John wanted to start charging me for the showers I would take at their place. Like, he did not want to pay for my water or electric usage...he's apologized over and over to me for what a prick (He calls himself) he was to me. He's like, how could I have been so mean to you? You were always so nice, and you would clean the apartment for us all the time. After the dancing thing wore off, we would spend weekends at the apartment, watching movies after work, just hanging out and being together.
Friday nights evolved over time. Carl and I always worked through college, so weekends we worked. We enjoyed being together after work. We would study, or clarify, I would study, Carl just liked to play video games, and fool around, procrastinate, and I'd be over here like, I have to get this homework done!!!! He'd be like, what ARE YOU worrying about??? Now he will say I was always the better student, he lived on a wing and prayer and his incredible smarts that took no effort to pull an all nighter studying before tests, and what do you know? He'd get an A or a B, which was so frustrating to me! I was the turtle, he was the hare. But, we both graduated, so that's what matters!
Once we became parents and stopped entertaining as much, Friday nights were my night to wander around Bangor. I would go shopping, eat somewhere, then go hang out with my girl friends. It would be nothing for me to be driving home at 2 a.m. from Bangor after spending a fun evening with friends. I loved to wander and take a break from parenting for a bit. Carl took his breaks on week long camping trips hiking the Appalacian trail in Maine and New Hampshire during the summer. We each knew how to "Take a Break".
Summertime Friday nights were usually spent at camp grounds with the girls. We camped at almost every single state of Maine camp ground during their childhood. So many good memories for Carl and I. However, the girls try to ruin it for us now saying they hated every minute of it....children, the fruit of my loins...oh god help me if I want to remember it as joyous..
Friday nights are pretty chill now. Its me and my Handsome. The boy goes to sleep pretty early. We both try to unwind. I'm writing this blog post currently. Carl loves his Blue Bloods show, prior to that, Hawaii 5-0. Some might call us boring now. But, I call it peaceful. Peaceful knowing who I'm climbing in bed with tonight. Peaceful knowing that hugging his back puts me to sleep quickly. I love his smell. I'm not having to put on a show. I can peacefully relax, knowing he's here, with a smile on his face. We can laugh. He told me tonight how beautiful I was...which made me laugh at him. "Did you tell me that because I just told you you were handsome?" NOOO. You are beautiful. I love your hair. I love your eyes. I'm glad you are next to me. There's so much comfort in having these boring Friday nights. These days are relaxing. The sooner you find yourself here, the more calm you become, at least its been that way for me. The chaos has been stilled in both of us. Comfort in this Union.
We've gone from being on the prowl to being a Calm Duo. A Peaceful Union. Uninhibited Existence. Happy. Settled. Found what we were Looking For. Stuck by each others side, through good&bad times. We are a committed Commitment. Through thick&thin, come hell or high water...we are Us. I told him the other day, "You know, I will never leave you. I will never abandon you. Ever, for Any Reason." He said, Well, that's good to know, especially at this point in the game..."Oh Carl, stop being a smart ass when I am trying to have a romantic moment with you".
Ditto, Julie, I'm not going anywhere either...."Good."
I love you....I love you too. Always.
Friday nights are even hotter now. Believe it or not, 30 years later. I love my Friday nights.
Blessed in the Nest.
Glad for my Union.
He&Me. C&J4ever.
March 7, 1987 was the best night of my life. And I didn't know that on March 7, 1987.
I do now.
Julie Erb Robbins.
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