Some individuals would possibly surprise: Is real love at first sight only a romantic fantasy? Or does it ever really occur? These weren’t ideas that had but occurred to me once I was 13 years previous. I used to be sufficiently old to have began noticing women, however the notion of real love, not to mention at first sight, was nonetheless summary. That was quickly going to vary.
My essential love again then was music. I used to be taking part in keyboards in bands with schoolmates and had goals of changing into a rock star. I used to be into music by bands like Emerson, Lake & Palmer and Sure, however my older sister and I had been additionally huge followers of Elton John. After we heard he was going to carry out on the town, we begged our mom to take us. Ever the trouper, she agreed to load up the automobile with me, my sister and a bunch of my sister’s teenage buddies.
One among these buddies invited her youthful sister Susan to come back alongside. Being the 2 youngest within the automobile, Susan and I had been relegated to the “approach again” of our Ford Nation Squire station wagon.
Sitting throughout from her on these tiny fold-out rear seats, I felt one thing I’d by no means felt earlier than. She was tall and putting, with lengthy brown hair that had straight bangs above her shiny brown eyes. She laughed with a dimpled smile and was simple to speak to. I used to be immediately smitten and almost forgot why we had been all taking that lengthy drive from the San Fernando Valley to Inglewood. Is that this what real love seems like?
As soon as contained in the Fabulous Discussion board, I made certain to choose a seat subsequent to her. Elton was additionally fabulous, although my thoughts admittedly wandered a lot of the time. I’m certain I spent many of the present taking a look at her slightly than the stage. She sang alongside to “Benny and the Jets” and “Crocodile Rock,” whereas I puzzled: Is she feeling what I’m feeling? Is there a spark for her too? Or is she postpone by my braces, my glasses or my peak drawback? These questions must wait — Elton was her focus that evening.
Again at Portola Junior Excessive Faculty in Tarzana, I took each alternative to attempt to run into her. She was a grade beneath me, in order that meant scouting the courtyard at lunchtime and between courses, then making an attempt to give you causes to have a dialog. A protected excuse was to debate no matter was new with Elton. I stunned her as soon as with a brand new Elton John album on its first day of launch. I generally would handle to give you excuses to telephone her, and we’d have lengthy conversations till one in all us could be instructed by a sibling to cease hogging the road.
By means of these encounters my emotions for her continued to develop. She was clever, witty and sort, and she or he shared my love of constructing music. How may there ever be anybody extra excellent for me?
Earlier than too lengthy I obtained up the braveness to profess my like to her. I went over to her home and she or he listened patiently as I instructed her how I felt and expressed my certainty that we might marry sometime. Susan sat quietly and listened, and with kindness she gently defined that she didn’t really feel the identical approach. She mentioned that she hoped we may stay buddies. Naturally I used to be crushed however someway nonetheless imagined this was merely a short lived setback.
We did communicate over the following few years, albeit with much less frequency. I continued to play in varied bands, and she or he grew to become the star of her highschool choir. We’d share our experiences on lengthy telephone calls. By the point I turned 16, my household had moved south to Westchester close to Los Angeles Worldwide Airport, and hers had moved additional north to Westlake Village. The additional distance didn’t fully diminish my hope, however it definitely made the chances of us crossing paths way more distant. However as luck would have it, that summer season Susan and her sister dropped by for a go to in the future after they occurred to be within the space.
As she obtained out of the automobile, I immediately had the identical feeling I skilled three years earlier. Might issues be totally different for her this time? I now had the benefit of my braces being off. Contact lenses had changed my glasses — plus the peak benefit was now mine. Lo and behold, she casually steered that perhaps we may exit someday. I made certain that “someday” could be as quickly as potential.
Our first actual date was ice skating at Topanga Plaza, adopted by dinner at Carl’s Jr. She was nonetheless simple to speak to, and nonetheless the love of my life. She additionally revealed a mischievous aspect. She had mentioned earlier than the date that she didn’t know methods to skate very properly, however then proceeded with a smile to skate circles round me with the grace of an Olympian. It was the primary of many examples that Susan was by no means somebody to be underestimated.
We ended that night with our first kiss, one thing I had been imagining since that first live performance. It was definitely worth the wait, and we now have been inseparable ever since.
Sunday marks 50 years since that fateful Elton John live performance on Oct. 6, 1974. Within the a long time since, Susan and I’ve performed in bands collectively, began firms collectively and traveled the world collectively. We’ve shared over 42 years of marriage, raised two great youngsters and have been blessed with a grandchild. And naturally, we now have attended numerous extra Elton John reveals. By means of all of it, I really feel really blessed to have had 50 years of that “love at first sight” feeling each time I see her.
The creator is a semiretired strategic adviser for audio and musical devices firms, having beforehand been a studio musician and product designer. He and Susan, each Los Angeles natives, performed in bands collectively for a few years and co-founded the guitar merchandise firm Line 6. They now reside in Ventura County and nonetheless play music collectively at house.
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