Leap Day = Sadie Hawkins Day! My high school celebrated the Leap Year with one whole week of opportunities to ask out anyone and everyone you were ‘crushing’ on. Does that still happen, or is it only a Boomer memory?

When Leap Year (and Sadie Hawkins week) fell during my Junior Year in high school, I was ready and waiting. I had a list of three boys I wanted to go out with, and Enid High School (Oklahoma) was willing to accommodate. The school actually provided events for several night of that special week, so there were opportunities to spend time with your heart throb(s).

I’m digging deep in my memory banks to remember what all we did that week. Here’s how I think it went, but if any of my fellow EHS grads remember, please share it with us! (I’m not exactly sure which ‘opportunity’ went with which night.)

• ‘Coke’ (soda pop) date (at Tastee Freeze or maybe Ken’s Pizza)
• Aquettes (h.s. synchronized swim team) exhibition at the High School pool
• Study date (at the library)
• Cook dinner at home (no take out allowed)
• Sadie Hawkins dance (Friday or Saturday night)

In general, the girls picked up the guys and took them to whatever event, or maybe just went for a coke every night. I invited each of my three guys to one of the events, and invited the one I thought I liked most to the weekend dance.

I can’t think of that Aquettes exhibition without thinking of Martin Short and the skit on Saturday Night Live that he did. (Was it with Steve Martin?) Hilarious!! Synchronized swimming was beautiful in some ways, but ridiculous in others. I don’t think my date was impressed.

And as far as dinner at home … I remember it was a ‘double date’ with another couple at my house. I think we fixed lasagna or something easy, but I remember for sure we had Boston Cream Pie for dessert. Who can argue that it’s one of the best? You get cake, you get pudding and you get chocolate icing spread over everything. My date ate it all, and as far as I know, he didn’t become ill.

Then there was the dance. I guessed right, and asked the one who was most likely to reciprocate my affection to the dance. He did reciprocate, and we dated for the rest of our high school time.

I have fond memories of high school and of Sadie Hawkins week. In today’s world, I think women play a far greater role in finding dates and compatible mates than we thought was ‘proper’ back in the Seventies. And I think they should. Face it, women know what kind of men they want. The trouble is, they may not like it after reality strikes and they’ve been married to it for several years! (That was my sad experience.)

Stay tuned for another installment of ‘Inside a Boomer’s Head’ next week. I’ll be tweeting topics in the series prior to posting, so if you aren’t a follower on twitter, and you want to be, my twitter name is Mary_Coley and I am @coleymary.

Happy Leap Day!