Around 1964, age 14.
Never put pin-curls in your bangs!
My cousin Annie had a boy-girl party. Her mom, Aunt Ann surprised her by inviting me.
Shortly before the party began in Uncle Mike and Aunt Ann’s finished basement, Annie asked me not to do or say anything to embarrass her. I guess she recalled the bike incident.
Being the new girl, several boys hung around me, asking questions.
“Where do you go to school?”
“How long are you visiting for?”
“So, you’re Ann’s cousin, huh?”
I reveled in the attention. Their last question held the assumption that I’d be on the same social and maturity level as my cousin. Ha ha.
It didn’t take too long before my curious suitors realized I was a dork. A sweaty-palmed, tongue-tied dork. After all the energy I expended trying to gain the positive attentions of the opposite sex, I didn’t have a clue how to act when my day finally arrived. No fair! I never had trouble talking before!
My male throng slowly dispersed.
The party numbers decreased dramatically and I noticed others heading upstairs. Kathy G. paused, turned around, and asked, “C’mon Mary, don’t you want any pizza?”
The only time I ever had pizza was at Annie’s aunt’s house, and I only liked the crust and sauce without cheese. I ventured upstairs to give it another try.
http://www.pophistorydig.com
The Fab Four
http://www.ultimateclassicrock.com
The Dave Clark Five
“No band is better than The Beatles,” declared a boy from one group.
“DC5 forever,” yelled the other group.
Not knowing much about The Beatles and absolutely nothing about The Dave Clark Five, I stood to one side.
The two groups were evenly split. I became the deciding vote.
“C’mon, Mary. Get on our side,” called The Beatle’s crew.
http://www.mybeatles.net
A short-lived contest.
“No way. C’mon over here, on the DC5 side,” urged a really, really cute guy.
Mama didn’t raise no fool. I walked over, stood by the cute guy, and chanted, “DC5 forever.”
My strategic move didn’t pay off. The cutie had a girlfriend who quickly took possession.
My apologies to the Beatles.
Lesson learned: The best laid plans of mice and men (and me) oft go astray.
Related posts: Chapter Ten: Girly Boys; Chapter Five: Almost A Knockout
Now it’s your turn: Were you a teenage party animal?
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1950 Memories of Suburban Adventures 
My first mixed party was my 13th birthday party. We played spin the bottle – I didn’t luck out 😦 Two of my friends managed to lock their braces together though so that provided some entertainment.
We played backyard cricket in the dark and the boys lobbed birthday cake at the next door neighbour’s windows.
*sigh*
Oh Suz, I always thought the locking of braces was a myth! Now I find out it can really happen.
Sounds like a fun party.
Moral of the Story: Choose the Beatles over any number of cute little boys. The Beatles are forever, little boys more fickle. What a fun read this was! I wished I’d grown up with you. Your childhood sounds straight of an Enid Blyton book, but much more exciting.
At that point in my life, and for quite a while after, cute little boys won out every time.
I’m sure we would have had fun, Mimmy. The world definitely would have know we were in it!
Lucky you, even though I know that period in your life is very awkward. We never got any party until we started dating. We lived on a farm and never even had birthday parties because we couldn’t afford it. My sisters were my best friends because the only time we got off the farm was to go to school and then back home again to do chores, homework, etc. Day after day was the same thng until we got old enough to date and then we would happen on the ocassional party with our dates. Later, I was rather a wild child because of all this, I think.
Sunni, hopefully you survived your wild child period in one piece. But I bet you have lots of fun memories and stories about it.
Skinny,
I did and some of those memories were the best times in my life. Also, I’d pick the Beatles everytime. Always a fan and still am. That boy would have to super cute to make me even think twice about going to the DC5 side.
Sounds about how my life was at that age! The cute guys were always taken. BTW I have some pictures with those same kinda creases!
Yes, Elle, funny how that works, cute guys spoken for. Same for the girls. I just hoped to be around for that brief moment between the changing of the guards to catch one of their eyes. Of course, if I caught someone’s eye it wouldn’t have done any good.
But of course! I was a dork at first, too.
You know, CJ, I think most everyone feels like a dork at one period or other.
The Dave Clark 5 – forgotten they existed. You’re doing that time travel thing again! Splendid stuff.
Thanks, Mike, I couldn’t remember their songs and had to look the info up. ‘Catch Us If You Can’ and ‘I Like It Like That’ are the two songs I recall.
I was a Beatles fan, still am to this very day. I did like many of the songs the DC5 did but I really didn’t like all the hopping around on stage that they did. The Beatles looked more sophisticated when they performed.
Yes, Glynis, the Beatles definitely were more manly.
Hahaha! Now THAT is me at the party too – except that the distaff side did not even notice I had turned up 🙂
If only we had the confidence and knowledge we have now. Life would have been sooo easy! And I’m sure there must have been at least one sweet little girl who knew exactly when you showed up.
That cutie missed something, Skinny. You are the best. (I’ve never heard of DC5 though).
Thanks Spunky. The Dave Clark Five was an English band, popular for a short while.
I was more a fan of model aircraft than pop stars. I did enjoy the mini-skirt ……. still do actually 😉 xox
Ha ha, Ralph. As far as mini-skirts, that was my sweeties favorite memory of the time. He wasn’t too happy when midi-skirts put in an appearance.
It’s a shame fashion dumped the mini !! xox