Laurel's Dream Date

When I was 14, like most girls, I was completely immersed in the glow of my freshman crush on the older, more experienced, much wiser senior. I’m sure it isn’t hard to picture me laying on my stomach on my bed each night, legs giddily kicking behind me as I wrote "Mrs. Tommy Thompson, Laurel Thompson, Laurel and Tommy 4-Ever, L.M. + T.T. = True Love, Mrs. Laurel Thompson, and Tommy and Laurel Thompson" over and over again in my diary before calling a girl friend to discuss what Tommy was wearing that day or how he nodded at me in the hall. Of course, at the time, I didn’t even show up on Tommy Thompson’s radar. (I have obviously changed the name in an effort to maintain some of my all-too-fleeting dignity.) But, that didn’t stop me from noticing when his car was in the school parking lot and when it wasn’t, whether or not he was late for school assemblies, trying to smell him when he was nearby...(um, kidding about the last part...) Well, lucky for me, Tommy Thompson and I happened to sign up for the same ski trip during the Spring Break of my freshman year. And, I just knew he would realize he loved me then. Of course, I spent weeks thinking about my outfits and planning conversation that would sound intelligent and funny but still casual, as if I hadn’t passed a few months working out scenarios in my head so as not to come out with the unfortunate, "Uh...yeah" when faced with the moment of truth. After a few days of skiing with no opportunity to interact, Thursday night arrived and everyone on the trip, from freshmen to seniors, decided to hang out in the same condo. Most everyone was drinking, and so, games broke out. There was more "Truth or Dare" and flip cup than anything else, but Tommy Thompson and a friend of his wanted to play Spades, and, as one of the few people who knew/could remember the rules, I was invited to play. I became almost giddy as Tommy and I taunted one another during the game. I was just waiting to playfully hit his arm during the game, so that our competitive taunting could turn into flirtatious fighting that quickly escalated to making out. Despite all of my daydreaming, I giggled every time he addressed me or looked my way. Unfortunately, our making out never occurred. Tommy Thompson gave up the game after a few hands, and my chance at true love was shattered. However, this past Thursday night, 12 years after my senior crush ended with his high school graduation, I finally got the call to be Tommy Thompson’s date. Of course, 12 years after the fact, Tommy Thompson is gay, and I went with him to Birmingham’s Gay and Lesbian Film Festival where I served as an excellent wing man, but I still like to think of this story as proof that dreams really do come true...even if they aren’t exactly how you pictured them.