Ashley, continued...

So I told you I'd continue once I got to my hotel, so here goes:

Man, Ashley, where do I begin? I know we had a few rooms/teachers together before the 4th grade, but it wasn't until then that I figured out you were the one I needed to have the crush on. I remember breaking up with Melinda at Skateland by telling her I had a knee disease and she needed to move on or she'd get hurt when I died of the disease. What a load of crap!! Either way, I guess it worked, as Melinda dumped me. At that time, I just skated over to you and asked you "to go with me." And you did. We lasted until that summer, when you broke up with me while I was on the diving board at the swimming pool. I remember hearing an Air Supply song on the radio when I got the news. We got home from the pool, and my sister, Davis, called you to ask why you broke up with me. Like it mattered?! I also remember earlier that year taking you to the "Sock Hop" at the YMCA. It was some kind of dance. I gave you a necklace/soap combo as a Christmas present that year...it was a lavender piece of soap in the shape of a butterfly, and it had a matching necklace with it. I remember lavender was your favorite color. Not too sure about the soap/necklace combo, but I guess it was pretty cool back in 1980!

I remember riding my bike up to your house and giving you love notes. We'd ride bikes in your backyard and hang out in your mom's dance studio listening to Earth, Wind & Fire. I remember one day we heard that you had to "do it" to have kids, and since we were planning on getting married, we were really grossed out and worried about that. So you went inside and asked your mother if that was true, and of course she said it wasn't. We were so RELIEVED!!! HA!!

I also remember you sucked your thumb forever! Seems like you were doing that up until the time we were in 6th or 7th grade. Please tell me you don't do that anymore?!

I can also remember how protective your older brother, Jack, was of you. If any of us cussed in front of you or did anything that he felt was inappropriate, he always make us apologize to you. We were always scared of having Jack after us....you were lucky, as he probably saved you from years of torture from us!!

Man, we had so much fun at your house. I remember Jack was a huge KISS fan and had posters and stuff all over his room. I think he even had a pair of wooden KISS boots!!

I remember getting into bottle rocket wars with Michael Tull, and shooting them at him in his yard from your back balcony. We'd do the same thing with those persimmons...I think he hit Brett in the face with one during one of those wars! Michael Tull had one hell of an arm on him, that's for sure!

So many memories at "The Hill" in your side yard. That was the place for all of the older kids to hang out, and we were always scared to ride our bikes by there when they were out there. Les Archie, John Haynes, Trey Albright....all of them would hang out there and harass us if we got close. It seems like such a big hill back then, and I drive by now and it's barely even noticeable!!!

Anyway, I hope you had a great birthday, and I hope some other people can share some more Ashley stories. HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Oh, and I'll post some funny pictures of you when I get back into town...I'm away from my ol' box of goodies and my scanner!!!