"Ashley if you want to date John Stamos do not say yes to Willy Nelson". - Mom
The setting was the eighth grade Junior National Honor Society trip to Washington, D.C. The ratio of girls to guys on the trip was 3 to 2. We had all been told perviously that on one of the last nights of the trip we were going to go to an event where the lads would need to escort the ladies. All the girls wanted to not be one of the five girls without an escort. It's silly looking back on it now but it was an extremely important event at the time. My middle school crush, Matthew, was on the trip and I really really really wanted him to ask me. His best friend had told me that he was planning on asking me to the event. He was constantly around me the majority of the time but he never mentioned the dinner.
I knew that Brad, really liked me and was planning on asking me to the dinner. I never encouraged his affection. I've never been one of those girls that likes a guy and then has a backup always waiting in the wings. My Mom was on the trip and he decided to ask her permission before asking me. My Mom let me know of his intent and I asked her if she discouraged him?
"Well, I said.... hmmm... well that is thoughtful of you Brad but I think she is planning going with someone else."-Mom
"Good... then what happened"-Me
"He said not if I ask her first... then he walked off." - Mom
It was two days before the dinner and my crush had yet to ask me. Brad came up to me during the middle of the day and asked in front of a group of my friends if I had plans to go with anyone else to the dinner. I told him no and he asked me if I would go with him. I was a bit annoyed because he was asking in a group setting and I did not want to hurt his feelings and I did not want to be one of the unescorted. I told him yes. He then proceeded to tell everyone that he was escorting me. In typical slacker guy fashion this got the rest of the guys to ask the girls.
Matthew came up to me later on that afternoon and asked if Brad was really escorting me. I told him yes that I had agreed to go with Brad. He said that it was a shame and did I think I could get out of going with him because he had planned on asking me. I told him I really didn't think so because he had told everyone on the trip. Matthew then told me who he then was planning on escorting to the dinner. We got back on the buses and I wanted to cry. I kept it together until we got back to the hotel.
I went directly to my Mom's room that she was sharing with my cheerleading coach Ms. Cheryl, whom I adored. I started crying and told them the sordid tale. My Mom and Ms. Cheryl both tried to be sympathic. Then my Mom told me.....
"If you want to date John Stamos."
"You do not say yes to Willy Nelson."
Ms. Cheryl busted out laughing. In the midst of being in the depths of despair; I could even see the humor. My Mom then proceeded to tell me that it was not the end of the world. It was only one night and that I should never settle just to have a date. I've followed this advice ever since.
"And I promise I'll never do it again. That's the one good thing about me. I never do the same wrong thing twice."- Anne Shirley
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