Dreams

 Originally Written Between 2017-2020                                                         

 

Where:           Skateland Roller Rink, Forest Lake, MN

When:             My Sophomore, Junior and Senior Years of High School (1960-62)

                        Every Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday Night

 

My best friend, Judy Nielsen, and I are skating to the popular songs of the day.  We skate to the unpopular songs of the day, also.  By that, I mean the music to which we can waltz, fox trot, march, quickstep, tango, or cha cha – to name just a few of the fun dances Judy and I like. 

 

We skate continuously from 7:30 to 10:30 each night.  We rarely sit down.  Every so often, my mom would announce over the microphone, “clear the floor” which meant that we would then have a special skate.  It could be “all girls” or “all boys” or a “triple skate” (2 boys and a girl or 2 girls and a boy), or a “couple skate” (boy and girl).

 

And that’s when Judy and I would separate.  For the “couple skate.”  I would skate with my boyfriend of the day – or month – or whatever.  But, Judy would skate with Danny.  Every time.  They “went steady” off and on during high school.  Mostly “on.” 

 

They had a song that they considered “their song.”  A song by the Everly Brothers entitled, All I Have to Do is Dream.   We all know the words:

 

When I want you in my arms
When I want you and all your charms
Whenever I want you
All I have to do is dream
Dream, dream, dream

When I feel blue in the night
And I need you to hold me tight
Whenever I want you
All I have to do is dream

I can make you mine 
Taste your lips of wine
Anytime night or day
Only trouble is 
Gee whiz
I'm dreamin' my life away

 

There are more verses and the chorus that I’m sure you all remember.  That was their song.  Whenever All I Have to Do is Dream came over the loudspeaker, Danny would find Judy and me and the three of us would skate to that song – singing all the words – and gliding all around the rink.  I picture us every time I hear that song.  Sweet memories.

 

Norm and I were married in September 1965. Just three weeks before Judy and Danny’s wedding on October 9th.  After marriage, Judy and I drifted apart.  Probably because we each moved away to start our lives with our new husbands, working in different cities, and with the onset of children for me, our lives became filled with other things to do and other friends.

 

I remember the last time I saw Judy.  At a class reunion.  We hadn’t seen each other for years and yet, because we were best friends, we picked up immediately where we left off.  Oh, it was so much fun and I’ll treasure the memory of the last time we talked and hugged because I’ll never have the chance to do that again.

 

Judy died at the age of 50.  She was not sick.  She had a headache for a couple of days and when it hurt too much, Danny took her to the hospital where she immediately lapsed into a coma and died.  We were told she had a brain aneurism. No warning.  No time to prepare last good-byes.

 

No time to say, “I love you, Judy.  I love our years that we had together, the fun times, and terrific memories. Every time I hear The Blue Danube and other beautiful waltzes, I picture the two of us skating together hand in hand, moving effortlessly to a kick waltz. You don’t know how many times I’ve thought about you and I feel bad I hardly said that to you.”

 

Did you know that I think of you and Danny every time I hear All I Have to Do is Dream?

 

When I want you in my arms
When I want you and all your charms
Whenever I want you
All I have to do is dream

I know that Danny still dreams about you – as I do.  Especially when “your song” comes on the radio.  

 

Whenever I want you

All I have to do is dream.