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IF YOU LOVE ME LET ME KNOW


Some days I loved Larry to pieces

and could hardly wait to see him.

But sometimes when I did see him

the glow of love faded away.


Bernie came over to the Y one night

plopped herself on my cot

motioned for me to sit next to her

and we talked about it.



"Now I'm not saying he's not cute,"

she said,

"and I do like his blonde crewcut

and his green eyes

and all the fancy sweaters he wears


but is he right for you?"



She kicked off her shoes

and bent over to straighten her stockings.


"Last night in bed I was thinking about it"

she went on

"and I thought that you are the sun and the wind

and he is the rain and the earth."



"What does that mean?"

I asked

and she laughed and said

"Beats me, that's just a thought I had."


"Well, I prayed about it," I said to Bernie

"and I'm waiting for a sign from God."


"Also, I don't know if he loves me."



Thunder cracked outside my window

and I hurried to pull down the shade

because I hated thunderstorms


and Bernie jumped up

slipped her feet back into her shoes

and headed for home.



I was starved

but I wasn't about to go outside

in the dark and the storm

so I nibbled on some Ritz crackers


but still my stomach cramped.



A knock came at my door

and when I opened it

there was Larry

bearing bags of hamburgers

hotdogs with sauerkraut for me

fries

and chocolate milkshakes.



The storm was letting up

so we went downstairs

and sat outside the Y on a wet bench

watching people

bobbling along under their umbrellas

hurrying to get home

or catch the bus



us eating together

and mostly being quiet.



That night

with our fannies cold from the wet bench

and our hair wet with the misty rain

he proposed to me.





Music Playing: If You Love Me
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©2001


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This story is a continuation of Diary of a Preacher's Daughter.
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