“Deep Purple” (instrumental)
Listen to Chapter 3
“Oh, Julie, long time no see! Let’s get together and have a nice long talk—you must tell me all about Mike Kirwin—”
“Well, uh, I think Mike and I are about through—my Momma, well, you know how she is. Say, how about you and me and Allen and Kurt going caroling Christmas Eve?”
“Well, I don’t know. Bob—”
“They’ve already planned it. Bill’s in L.A. and won’t be here in Riverdale until Christmas Day. Hey, what’s this about Bob?”
“Oh, Julie, Daddy just brought the car home—I’ll be right over!”
Sandra found one merry girl sitting by the tree and an admiring Allen looking on as she opened his gift. Unnoticed, Sandra stood by the door as Allen and Julie shared a soft, sweet Christmas kiss. There was no need to even ask about Mike anymore!
“Sandra! Come on in,” called Julie. “Hey, how about tonight?”
“Kurt would sure like to see you,” Allen winked.
“We-l-l—” Sandra blushed slightly.
“Come on, I’ll call him and tell him you’re here.” Julie rose to her feet and grabbed the phone. Sandra started to protest—but didn’t.
Soon Kurt and Sandra and Allen and Julie were on their way to the church to pick up a couple of carol books. But their caroling trip got no farther. By the time they had agreed on what carols to use, what parts each would sing, and so on, the hands of the chapel clock had almost reached ten. They all went back to Julie’s house.
“So long!” Allen called as Kurt pulled out from Julie’s driveway. Then he turned to Julie.
“Well, sweetheart, I’ll see you New Year’s Eve.” Allen kissed her lips gently.
“A-hem!” Sandra teasingly cleared her throat loudly.
Julie sighed softly as Allen’s car, too, disappeared into the darkness. “Have fun tonight, Sandra?”
“Huh?” Sandra started from her daydreaming. “Oh, yeah, I guess so. I, uh, see you and Allen are, uh—”
“Oh, Sandra,” Julie drooled, “it’s really neat now!”
Sandra beamed. “I know. I’m really in love with Bob. Last summer—” She laughed and shook her head. “Kurt and Bill are just boys. It was just a summer fling. You know, Julie, tonight was really boring with Kurt. I mean, I like Kurt; but I love Bob. I’m sure of it now.”
“I’m happy for you,” Julie reflected as she remembered Sandra’s many past dilemmas with romance. Every fellow had literally swept Sandra off her feet, but somehow never quite seemed to fill the place in Sandra’s heart. Julie was sure this time, Bob would fill that place.
“Mrs. Allen Macintosh,” Sandra teased. “Well, I’ll see you spring vacation—if I can tear myself away from Bob for five days!”
“Okay, Mrs. Miller,” Julie returned. “Be sure to write!”
Julie and Sandra waved goodbye as long as they could see each other. Then, once again, the two girls went their separate ways.
*****
“…and we don’t know what we’re going to do,” Sandra wrote. “Bob doesn’t have a cent to his name besides what he’s working for here. We both don’t really want to borrow more money for school next year. It’s been pretty hard since Mom died—especially for Daddy. He’ll never let me get married if he’s still alone. If only Bob and I could get a married couples’ cottage at La Paloma next year, but there’s still the problem of getting Bob to leave the North Country that he loves so much. And he would have to transfer from a quarter system college to a semester system. We want to get married as soon as possible, but it’s so hard to be good…”
Be good… Julie smiled a little as she answered Sandra’s letter. “…but love is good; love is sacred—and very, very special. Sandra, I’m in love, too. I love Allen so much deeper than I’ve ever loved any other man—and more than I ever could love another. Something very wonderful has happened to us…”
“Sandra! I’m speaking to you!” Anna nudged her again.
“Huh? Oh.” Sandra looked up from Julie’s letter. “Sorry, roommate.”
“Who is your girlfriend Julie rooming with at La Paloma?”
“A girl named Bobbie Crawford, I think she told me.”
Anna gasped. “You’re kidding! I knew her from Highview.”
“What’s she like?” Sandra was a little cautious.
“I didn’t know her too well,” Anna drawled. “Last I saw her—several months ago—she was dating quite a Romeo, Derek somebody. Oh, Bobbie’s okay—I just didn’t expect your best girlfriend to be rooming with her.” Anna shrugged.
Sandra’s thoughts lingered. “Love…special…something happened to us—” No! she thought. Julie’s a good kid. Forget it, Sandra Lee!
*****
Bob’s slight frame sank wearily into the velvety parlor sofa as he smiled sleepily into Sandra’s sparkling eyes. “Aw, honey, I’m sorry I don’t feel like taking you to the Valentine party. You understand?”
“Sure I do,” Sandra soothed him. “You work too hard, honey. I really pray hard that we’ll make it through another year and a half. Your diploma means a lot, I know.”
“But what to get a degree in!” Bob almost winced. “Theology—but there’s that Greek. Besides, it would mean two more years at the seminary—more money, more bills. Yet, everyone frowns on me giving up the ministry for a career in electronics engineering or computer science. I want to take care of you when I marry you, and I want to marry you soon!”
“Well, I can’t marry anybody until I graduate from college, so Daddy says. Where’s the money coming from? Besides, I’m not even sure what I’m going to major in.”
Bob patted her hand as he managed a weak smile. “Honey, it takes a lot of faith—and prayers.”
Sandra sighed. “You’re so right, Bob.”
- Going Separate Ways (Summer 1963)
- In Their Own Worlds (Fall 1963)
- Spring Break (Spring 1964)
- Back in Riverdale (Early June 1964)
- Summer Fun Times (Mid-June 1964)
- A Summer Storm (Late June 1964)
- Fourth of July (July 1964)
- August Anguish (August 1964)
- A New Fall Semester (September 1964)
- Looking Ahead