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Wednesday, January 30, 2008

My Gold Hot Pants, era 1971

My best friend from high school, Karin, and I are in the process of planning a 35th reunion for our class of 1973. UGH, you read it right.

As I go through the list of names and yearbook photos, memories come flooding back. I have to be careful, remember what happened here when I reconnected with an old heart throb last year. But I digress.

I was thinking about Dave Bess(name shortened) the other day. I was a sophomore he was a senior. We had one class together, but just for 10 short weeks.

During the 5 minutes between classes changing, all the guys would sit along the window ledge in the main hall. I'll bet it was like that in most high schools, and if they can get away with it, I'm sure it's still like that.

Every time I walked pass "gawking guys alley", I'd see Dave sitting there. I'd get all flustered. I could feel my armpits getting sweaty. My mouth would get dry. My clammy hands could barely hold my books, surprisingly I never dropped them.

One spring day, I was feeling pretty darn good about how I looked. I had just got a new pair of "hot pants". Yeah, in the 70's you couldn't wear shorts to school, but with brilliant marketing, the fashion industry renamed short shorts, hot pants, and we got away with it.

I was wearing gold sateen hot pants, similar to those in the photo on the left. A tight white lace-up top, and some strappy white sandals with the unsightly big chunky heel.

I was making my way down "gawking guys alley" and there he was. This time was different. He was looking at me. ME. His eyes were on me the whole time as I continued my strut walk. Funny, I wasn't even sweaty or nervous. I just knew I looked the bomb and now I had his attention.

Just as I was about to step in front of him, his hand went up and he smiled. His finger curled towards me. WHAT! He was actually giving me the "come hither" sign? I stopped and leaned down, my long blond hair flowing just in front of his face. His finger beckoned me closer. Whoa, he was going to whisper in my ear!

My heart all aflutter, I lent my ear to his lips and he began to speak. Softly he said to me, "Your zipper is down." Accccck! I think I died a thousand deaths right there. I remained composed, stood up and thanked him for letting me know. As I started walking away he smiled and I knew he still would be alright in my book.

A couple weeks later, I was in home-economics class. (yeah, back then, they tried to teach us how to cook and sew, but we accepted it as an easy credit) One of the girls came in late for class, crying. As we all clucked around her like mother hens, she announced she was pregnant. By Dave Bess! I was crushed. Then she proceeded to say he was going to marry her, but also join the service because he knew he couldn't afford a family or college. I sincerely hope they made it.


::: Shameless plug :::
Please go over to Mrs. Fussypants and vote for my submission to her "caption the photo" contest. I submitted:

"Since losing all his super powers, he hasn't been able to hail a cab in a coon's age"

Voting continues through through Saturday ::hint hint :::

15 comments:

Fightin' Mad Mary said...

I thought the girl in the photo was you! I'm sure you were just as hot!

You're planning a 35th reunion? Were you the class president?

Jen said...

Oh God help me this story makes me cringe. I am dying inside for you.

Isn't it funny how we can remember so much about high school, yet so little about yesterday? At least that's the case with me - looking at my 20th reunion...

I'll vote - in the morning. I'm up wayyy too late.

Anonymous said...

Oyee the 70's in high school!!!
What will be your theme??
Doesn't Bab's song start up in your head 'memories' aka 'the way we were', thinking about it all?
Let us know if you find out if 'they' made it!!

San said...

Oh yeah, gold sateen hot pants. I once had a pair just like these. Hmmm, come to think of it, I also had a sister who used to "borrow" my clothes. =) Oh but we were HAWT!

Nancy said...

Mary: No, I wasn't prez ... our fearless leader never planned any of our reunions. Since this is the year and we've heard nothing, Karin & I are just trying to get something together.

Jen:True,true, I can tell you about high school, but don't ask me what I had for breakfast yesterday?!

Lis: I'm not sure of a theme, we're just trying to make contact! 35 years? They are spread out all over!

San:Umm, how would you know? I left for school after you and got home before you? :: grin ::

Joan said...

By the time I was in high school, we were in the preppy, prude phase. We didn't even wear shorts to school. That's hard to believe here in the south. Only a few buildings were air conditioned.

Carrie @carrieloves said...

Wow, what a nice guy for telling you about your fly rather than laughing at you. Sweet. I graduated in '86 and don't remember there being a strict dres code, we could wear mini skirts & shorts. Oh, the '80's!

Sherry said...

Going back to vote again (I think you can vote 3 times?!) - because any girl who could tell the story of her hot pants being "undone" deserves more than 1 vote (I'd have done it anyway!!!).

Dave Bess sounds like he was a decent guy (he told you quietly, didn't announce it to the alley) -- okay, he and his girl got into the situation no one ever wants to be in -- and yes, I hope they made it too.

Hopefully you'll find out at your reunion!!!

Anonymous said...

Teen angst is an awful thing, isn't it? But our hot pants back then were anything but awful. We did look hot! Not that I'd wear them now, but I sure wish I still had the body I had back in high school. *sigh* Even if our girlish figures didn't survive the years, at least WE did. Hooray for us!

P.S. I voted for your caption. It was hysterical!

captain corky said...

After reading this post, I have a real urge to go roller skating and watch girls twirl in their hot pants.

Candy said...

Oh my god, the humiliation. And then he knocks up another girl? I think you dodged a bullet there.

Pink said...

Well girl, you are hot now, so I can imagine you were phoaaar even back then. Agree with candy - you dodged a bullet!

But, given the odds against them, I also hope they made it.
xx
pinks

Anonymous said...

I should be attending my 40th reunion this year. No word yet when it is. Back in "my" day we couldn't even wear pants to school never mind shorts or "hot pants". Even jeans were not allowed. Did I say 40 years, I must be mistaken it could only be 20 right? (don't I wish)

How nice that Dave didn't take advantage of the situation and make you the laughing stock of the day. Nice guy!

I did vote for you today and yesterday. Hope you win.

Mrs. G. said...

I can totally see you in hot pants! GRRR.

delmer said...

Two days in a row ... once in the cafeteria, once at a basketball game (so, it was a Thursday and a Friday) ... same cute girl ... I was wearing different jeans.

She pointed out my fly was down.