Maggie May

“I need to get those papers from the Tech Ed room.” I remember thinking this in the middle of algebra one class, freshman year. Mr. Cira, my teacher, was laid back enough that I knew if I asked for the bathroom pass I could take it and not have to return within the normal allotted “bathroom” time. I grabbed the pass and began my search for the room that would hold the papers needed in order to get a Wisconsin drivers permit. I finally found the Tech Ed room hidden down a short hallway in the back of my rather large high school. I peeked in searching for who would look like a teacher. I met eyes with a boy in a yellow t-shirt who immediately asked me what I was looking for in a rather dismissive way. I was about to say the teacher’s name when a nerdy, middle-aged man came popping forward asking what was it that I needed. I explained to him how I would be taking his drivers Ed class and that I needed a couple papers from him in order to get my permit. He of coursed him self behind a shelf in search of my documents. A beat later I heard an off-key, throaty rendition of Rod Stewart’s “Maggie May”. I spun in my spot and witnessed a scene I will never forget. Standing up out of his chair, yellow t-shirt was looking me in the eye, hand over heart, serenading to me. I stood frozen, caught by the sudden admiration and attention. I blushed and giggled and fell in love all at the same time. There was a silence after he sang the first line followed by many laughs and guffaws from the class. I quickly took my papers from the teacher and left, without looking the boy in the face. As I walked back to my algebra one room I was so disoriented from the experience and yet so incredibly in the moment. It was exhilarating and unexpected and stunning. The experience touched something in me, someplace only certain people can feel. I am grateful to always have this memory of that boy, whom I later grew to know. He was young and scraggly and giving me something few people get. I was given, only for a moment, the feeling of love, unexpected and unexplainable love.