Thursday, February 25, 2010
During my early teenage years, I was in a singing group at Singers Unlimited in Sandy, Utah. It was there that I met my first "boyfriend," Richard Thorup. I say "boyfriend," because looking back it was really a very loose definition.
Richard and I started "going out" just before I turned 15. One day at rehearsal, he sent his friend to ask me if I would "go out" with him. I told the friend to tell Richard that he'd have to ask me himself. He did, and I said yes. I was wearing a black ribbed shirt with a red and grey stripe (still have in my closet today) and a pair of jeans borrowed from my best friend Emilee.
Since Richard and I lived in different cities, "going out" with him consisted of long phone conversations in which neither of really had anything to say. Neither of us was old enough to date, so we saw each other weekly at singing group, and that was pretty much it. I only remember a handful of times that I ever saw him away from singing group.
Once, he called and invited me to go iceskating. My mom was concerned that maybe this was too much like a date, but we went with a bunch of his friends, so it was really just friends hanging out. I also remember going to his house once and playing pinball in his basement.
Another time, we attended the same Halloween party, hosted by a fellow singing group friend. When my dad got there to pick me up, Richard called me back downstairs for a second. He kissed me on the stairs, my official first kiss. On one other occassion, we were at my parents house, and when he had to leave, I walked him outside. He gave me a quick peck goodbye.
Looking back, my "relationship" with Richard was nothing if not awkward and a little weird. We went to different schools, we had different friends, and we rarely even saw each other. After "going out" for about 6 months, I decided I was far more interested in the guys at my own school, and broke up with Richard. A few months later ended my tenure at Singers Unlimited, and I didn't really figure I'd see Richard again.
That was almost entirely true except for the two times I ran into him at Jordan District choir concerts. By then, I was dating Nick Miller, and I introduced Richard to Nick. Just to get under my skin, Nick and his friends insisted on calling Richard by his name's popular alternate: Dick.
Richard was sweet and kind, and I still have the matching necklace and earrings he gave me for my 15th birthday. Even if our "relationship" was really anything but, my memories of him will always be fond ones.
Richard and I started "going out" just before I turned 15. One day at rehearsal, he sent his friend to ask me if I would "go out" with him. I told the friend to tell Richard that he'd have to ask me himself. He did, and I said yes. I was wearing a black ribbed shirt with a red and grey stripe (still have in my closet today) and a pair of jeans borrowed from my best friend Emilee.
Since Richard and I lived in different cities, "going out" with him consisted of long phone conversations in which neither of really had anything to say. Neither of us was old enough to date, so we saw each other weekly at singing group, and that was pretty much it. I only remember a handful of times that I ever saw him away from singing group.
Once, he called and invited me to go iceskating. My mom was concerned that maybe this was too much like a date, but we went with a bunch of his friends, so it was really just friends hanging out. I also remember going to his house once and playing pinball in his basement.
Another time, we attended the same Halloween party, hosted by a fellow singing group friend. When my dad got there to pick me up, Richard called me back downstairs for a second. He kissed me on the stairs, my official first kiss. On one other occassion, we were at my parents house, and when he had to leave, I walked him outside. He gave me a quick peck goodbye.
Looking back, my "relationship" with Richard was nothing if not awkward and a little weird. We went to different schools, we had different friends, and we rarely even saw each other. After "going out" for about 6 months, I decided I was far more interested in the guys at my own school, and broke up with Richard. A few months later ended my tenure at Singers Unlimited, and I didn't really figure I'd see Richard again.
That was almost entirely true except for the two times I ran into him at Jordan District choir concerts. By then, I was dating Nick Miller, and I introduced Richard to Nick. Just to get under my skin, Nick and his friends insisted on calling Richard by his name's popular alternate: Dick.
Richard was sweet and kind, and I still have the matching necklace and earrings he gave me for my 15th birthday. Even if our "relationship" was really anything but, my memories of him will always be fond ones.
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