First Date 1962 Poem by Terry Collett

Sheila was nervous
that John was meeting her
in the main town
between their villages.

She had told her mother
she was meeting
a school friend in town.
Her mother didn't ask who,
but gave her
a couple of shillings
to spend.

He said to wait
in the center of town
by the post office;
she waited there
looking about her.

She'd put on
her Saturday dress
not what her mother called
her Sunday best.
It was flowery
and a faded blue.

It was warm; people
passed her going
in and out the post office.
Traffic passed
to and fro on the road.

Then she saw him;
he was dressed
in blue jeans
and a white open shirt.
He smiled when he saw her;
she smiled too.

She felt funny inside;
nervous and excited.
They exchanged small talk.
He said he liked her dress.
She said she was nervous.

He said to go to the coffee bar
and have something
called espresso.
She nodded
and they walked together
across the center
to a coffee bar he knew.

She wondered how much
or would he pay?
It was the start
of her first dating day.
© an hour ago, Terry Collett