text: It was the best of times it was the worst of times. I could feel the Sweat as the beads ran down the back of my spine. The bright glare from overhead, the hands on the bank clock, said it was time to go. His suit was just in from the cleaners, not a Wrinkle insight. His shoes were polished to a bright shine. His hair done-up just so, a cut and a shave. Everyone thought I look like a million bucks. The car shined in the afternoon sun as I drove up to the big house on the left of 5th Avenue. I gathered all my courage. Flowers in hand as I pushed the doorbell. I had asked the prettiest girl in town to the school dance. A creek came from the door, a tall older man asked. How can I help you? Son. I am Mark, the boy that asked your daughter to go to the school dance. (with a sigh) You may take her, but there are a few rules, he said. You brack my daughter's heart I will hunt you down. She must be home before midnight. Yes sir. “I replied”. As she walked down the white Staircase, I could see the sparkle of the chandelier glistening off of her gown, a twinkle in her eyes with a glow on her face. There was a shin on her face. These are for you with A grin from ear to ear, as I handed her the flowers. That’s when I told myself, one day I will marry that girl. Her name is Penelope, she is the prettiest girl at the dance tonight, and in my eyes, the prettiest girl in the whole world. Tonight was the best night of my life. The next morning, I tried to call Penelope, there was no answer. later that afternoon, I tried calling again, still no answer. On Monday after school, I drove my car by her house, there was no one there, they had just up and vanished. Penelope had moved away without a word. After graduation, I search for Penelope, it was very hard because I didn't know where to look. That same year I joined the army. This would help me in my search I thought. Every time I was close. It would turn out I was too late. It seemed as if I was always one step behind. I would spend the next forty years looking for Penelope. my one true love. Now, I'm in my 60's I just sit here and look at these old pictures of that night and think. It was the best of times it was the worst of times. “To sides to every store” My father is in the military. We move all the time. I’m am what they call a military brat. In one school then out to the next. I don’t recall how many schools I’ve been to but let us just say a lot. It was my junior in high school. I met this boy at school his name was Mark. He was handsome and smart, we had three classes together. I liked him right away. We became good friends. We set in the lunchroom together and talked about our day. I couldn’t believe it when Mark asked me to the school dance. Wow! There were just a few weeks left in school when dad told me he had a new assignment with the army but he couldn’t say when we would have to move again. I always thought I would have time to say good-bye to my friends and to Mark. My dad bought me a new dress for the school dance, it was full of sparkling glitter. It was very lovely even for something my dad would buy for me. After all, I was just an army brat. On the day of the school dance, I went to the hair Solon and got my hair done. Then To the beauty Solon to got my fingernails done. Then I bought a new pair of shoes to go with the elegant dress my dad had bought me. That night the doorbell rang. I walked slowly down the stairs, the chandelier was shining off of the glitter on my new dress. My shoes shined in the light. I walked slowly as to tease Mark as he stood there with a grin from ear to ear. Mark handed me the flowers that he had bought for me. They were long red and velvet with a beauty of green, the first flowers a boy had ever given me. I put the dozens of flowers in a vase with some water. Kissed my dad and out the door with Mark holding my hand. His car was all cleaned up as shiny as a new one. Mark tried so hard to impress me And it was working. He opens the car door for me as I walked up to get in. Mark was a true gentleman and I loved the way he treated me that night. At the dance he was nice to me, Mark must have taken some dancing lessons. He danced beautifully that night. That night He was a perfect gentleman. After the dance around midnight Mark drove me home, he opens my car door for me. Gave me his hand to help me out of his car. Mark took my hand in his and raised it to his lips and kissed the back of my hand. I was feeling all tingly inside. I thought this one day will be the boy who becomes the man I will marry. When I opened the front door of our house dad was setting in his chair, with the TV on. He told me how beautiful I was that night and how he thought someday I would make a beautiful wife. But not to get in a hurry about it. Then just before going upstairs for the night dad gave me the news. Dad said he had to report to his new duty assignment first thing Monday morning. And as soon as we were packed in the morning we had to get on the road to make it. And the movers would come and get the rest of our belongings. As a military brat, I was used to this, but this time was different, I had found someone. This was my first taste of love. I was still in high school and too young to be out on my own. Morning came and dad and I loaded up the truck with something we would need till all of our belongings would show up in a few days. I wanted to let Mark know where we were going and how to find me if he still wanted to. But I really didn’t know-how. The following year came and went just as fast as reading a book. Hours turned into days, days into weeks. I sit in my bedroom looking out my window into the heavens thinking of that night at the dance with Mark. After my senior year of high school, I went back to find Mark. Everyone told me he joined the army and had left town and that no one had heard from him. I search for Mark. My one true love for many years. When I thought I had found him, he had already moved on to the next assignment and the next army base. As the sun is going down, I sit here in my yard, looking up at the stars. Wondering about what life would have been like. I just turned 60 a few days ago. But my mind always goes back to the night of the school dance. It was the best of times it was the worst of times.