You're dancin' with him he's holding you tight I'm standing here waitin' to catch your eye Your hand's on his neck as the music sways All my illusions slip away ("Man's Job") She never noticed me, of course.You're dancin' with him he's holding you tight I'm standing here waitin' to catch your eye Your hand's on his neck as the music sways All my illusions slip away ("Man's Job") She never noticed me, of course. I was too young. But I kept tabs on her life by listening to the other women talk and gossip. Right after she graduated from high school she married her longtime sweetheart -- the typical high school jock hero and I was insanely jealous of him -- and she began working at the salon full-time. She was soon pregnant and had a boy, and then another baby boy. It may be an old wives' tale, but when she was pregnant, she was so glowingly beautiful it almost hurt my eyes to look at her. Finally, when I was 16 and could drive myself to the salon, I intentionally waited until my regular stylist was on vacation and made an appointment with Stacy. I remember sitting in her chair for the first time, feeling her touch me, and almost passing out from the sublime pleasure of it. Sitting there, I was shocked to discover that she was quiet and shy and introverted. I had assumed that any girl as beautiful as she was would be a real extrovert, ready to joke around and party. Her shyness only endeared her to me more. I never went back to my old stylist, and I looked forward to my appointment with Stacy every four weeks. Eventually, we talked and joked around. We became more than friendly -- I thought we became good friends. She never said a word to me about it while her marriage was falling apart, but her husband drank and wouldn't hold a job. After he slapped Stacy around a couple of times, she took the kids, moved out, and filed for divorce. It takes a leap of faith to get things going It takes a leap of faith you gotta show some guts It takes a leap of faith to get things going In your heart you must trust ("Leap of Faith") That summer before I left for college, she was 25, divorced, the mother of two little boys, and more beautiful than ever. |