The fall always brings back memories of my college days...and then I reminisce about the 60's and a new madras shirt, polished chinos and penny loafers that squeaked when I first walked Glassboro State's Bunce echoing hall to my first year college class. It was there I first saw her in a sea of young women all dressed in their best stuff too.  Why I use the tired cliche “sea” metaphor? Because that was the way it felt for me.  At that time, Glassboro State females outnumbered males 7 to 1!  Gals from far away places with strange sounding names to South Jersey guys like Bayonne...Perth Amboy...Teaneck... mysterious places where we had never been.  And among them all that day one caught my eye right away.  Instead of sporting the “big hair” that was trendy in the 60’s she had very short and wavy hair - this got my attention.

As the days passed, I kept seeing her, sitting on “the wall” in front of Memorial hall, surrounded by laughing classmates (mostly guys).  In the “Co-Op” our smokey snack bar. She had energy that one could feel two booths away.  She would soon to be a cheerleader, freshman class officer.  She was “involved” quickly in college life.

And I was smitten!  But my hopes were dashed when I noticed she was constantly with upper class guys.  We met in some activity but from then saying “hi” was as much as I could muster.  (I was very shy in my first days as a "Prof". But that, as college friends will attest, changed dramatically as the my first semester evaporated and I became a “cool and sophisticated” sophomore. And I had given up the idea of me and  “Nancy with the Smiling Face”.   I got very involved myself.  Campus players, SGA Senate and I must admit, with some wonderful lady classmates along the way. My college days were great days.  

Three years later “fate” brought Nancy and I together.  She was elected the student government Secretary. I was President.  We worked together on projects; started to meet for lunch which progressed to dates and much more.  Thanksgiving I even drove across "the big bridge" to Teaneck - this yokel had never driven on the turnpike that far north before. 

As the amazing romantic scent of the following May’s apple blossoms permeated  campus, I proposed to her in the parking lot of her dorm. She said yes and we planned to marry the next.  And the rest is history as they say.

The moral: “Never give up and always be aware of those with great hair!”