The First and Last Date

The First and Last Date

Charlie Fischer



It was the Fall of 1953 in Hillsbourgh, a small suburb of San Francisco, that boasted of its jewelry stores and furrier stores that displayed brilliant diamonds, mink coats and sable stoles. The cheering, Indian Summer warmed the county like a toaster does bread. The sweet smell of cut grass of Madison Middle School’s football field permeated the air like expensive perfume does a room when a pretty woman wearing it enters. Romance filled the young men and women’s hearts, and Fred and Jane were no exceptions.

Fred Anderson was an honor student at the School, and a tall, good, athlete, with warm blue eye. He had a nice smile, and was a fine gentleman and had a good paying job working part time as a law clerk. He had one weakness, Jane Shepherd. When Jane walked by him in the halls or schoolyard, his heart beat just a little bit faster, and his thoughts turned toward romantic ideas. It was an entire semester before Fred got up his courage to speak to Jane. Jane had an innocent clean appearance. Her brown perfumed hair flowed to her shoulders, and Fred thought it looked like angels mingled within it.

“Hi Jane,” said Fred. How are your classes?”

“Fine,” said Jane. “Oh, I saw you run that 35 yard touchdown at the game last night.”

“Wow, I didn’t seer you there,” said Fred.

“I was sitting on the Monroe side with a friend. You made me proud of you running that TD; I’m not a Monroe fan, and am glad we beat them.”

From then on, Jane and Fred spoke warmly with one another frequently. After several conversations, Fred asked Jane for her telephone number that she readily gave him. She asked that he not call her after 9:00pm, and he never did. Sometimes, when Fred called, the line was busy, and he hoped Jane wasn’t speaking with any other boy, yet she was. Jane had a friend, Bob, that she had known for about seven months, who attended Monroe.

“I tried to reach you three times, but your phone was busy,” said Fred.

“Yes, I was speaking to a friend,” said Jane.

“Oh, I see. I hope I’m not intruding on any boy’s time with you.”

“Actually, no. Bob and I talk awhile, but I was glad that he hung up. I’d much rather visit with you,” said Jane. “He seems kind of strange at times.”

“Really, well, I enjoy speaking with you more than with anyone,” said Fred.

“I’m flattered. Bob has been calling for seven months, but that’s all. He never says a thing about getting together at the library, going to a rally together, eating at the cafeteria together, or anything like that,” said Jane. “I hinted, but he didn’t catch on. He’s odd in some ways.”

“Jane, we’ve known each other a few months, and I don’t think that it would be uncool for me to ask you out. There is a Hitchcock film at the Metro Friday night; can you go with me?” asked Fred.

“Call me back in a half hour. I’ll check with Mom about Friday night,” said Jane.

Fred waited a half an hour and called Jane. “Hello, Jane-well can you go out?” asked Fred.

“I can go to the movie, but not with a boy. I can only go with a few girl friends,” answered Jane. “I could meet you there, though.”

“Good I could meet you in the lobby,” said Fred.

“Fine, I’ll be there at 6:30,” said Jane.

“Great.”

The date for Friday night was all set. Jane’s mom was going to pick up Jane’s girl friends, bring them to the show, and pick all three up after the show let out. Jane planned on meeting Fred in the lobby, so they could sit by one another. All went according to plan, but Bob was at the show too. Bob was with a much younger girl, Regina, and when Bob saw Fred and Jane, he went up to them and began whispering to Jane. Some patrons complained about the four of them and asked them to leave.

The two couples went out into the lobby where they talked: “My parents are away for the week end,” said Bob, “and Regina and I have their car for tonight. Let’s go for a ride.” The four of them climbed into their parents Cadillac and took off. They drove around awhile, stopped for a bite to eat, and decided to drive up to the hills. Bob failed to navigate a sharp turn properly, and the car plunged 100 yards off a sheer precept to the instant death of the couples.

The waitress, where the four of them had stopped that evening for a bite to eat, found a note when she cleared their table. The note read: “If I can’t have Jane, then no one will, Bob.” The town was devastated, and when Bob and his sister’s parents returned home, they and Bob’s psychiatrist had many questions.