First Love

 If you'll recall I never really had a boyfriend throughout high school and most of college.  Also, you need to know I was very interested in foreign places with my deepest desire to travel to Europe but especially England.  I'd taken German in high school  because I thought that would help me reach the goal of going to Europe.  If I had taken French or Spanish, my parents would have said, "Go to Canada" or "Go to Mexico" but German. . . .I needed to go to Europe to learn fluency.  I wasn't particularly interested in Germany, but I did have interest in going to Switzerland (home of Heidi) and Austria. (home of Sound of Music).

But, my heart was in England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales. I loved British history (you have no idea how excited I was to learn that I descend from my favorite Scottish kings and my favorite English Queen---Eleanor of Aquitaine).  I read English literature:  the Brontes, Jane Austen, Thomas Hardy, Graham Greene.  My favorites novels were about the legendary King Arthur and Camelot. (I have an entire book shelf of King Arthur books) Although I majored in German, I also majored in English:  English literature and English language were my real loves. 

My good friend Ed (one of my high school "brothers") and I belonged to a group at church called The Searchers (my sister Jane and Grandpa's brother Tom also belonged).  We had a house on the church property where we met, studied, partied and practically lived in the summers when we were home from college.  It was a group of about 30-50 from all religious backgrounds. We did have one regular meeting with an outside speaker during the week which everyone attended.  

I walked into the meeting that evening and saw that Ed had brought someone new---a very cute blond young man who was busy taking in all of the chaos and joy before the meeting.  He was smiling as his eyes darted from person to person.  I liked that smile.  Ed saw me and  raised his hand that I needed to come over.  He introduced me to Tony. . . .an exchange student from England working at McDonnell-Douglas (Boeing) for the summer. I sat right down next to Tony and eagerly started chatting with him until the meeting began.

I was 19: the summer between my sophomore and junior years of college.  Tony was maybe 20, a student at Birmingham University and a "co-op" with Rolls-Royce Aviation.  That meant he was a student but also worked at Rolls-Royce---a little like an internship.  (Grandpa was a co-op at McDonnell Douglas as was Ed).  Tony didn't drive, but he lived in an apartment, so I assume Ed drove him everywhere he needed to go.  Ed was certainly our "chauffeur" most of the summer with the exception of one date.

Just before I was to leave to go back to college, Tony asked me to go the Muny Opera to see Camelot (my favorite musical) about King Arthur.  He'd received tickets to the McDonnell box seats.  It was the perfect date!  We had dinner at Fox and Hounds at Cheshire Inn---about the most English setting anywhere in St. Louis. Then we went to the Muny with the best seats!  After all of my years sitting in the "cheap" seats, I had never dreamed I'd be escorted to the box seats of one of the biggest companies in St. Louis.  Ed did not drive.. .. I think I might have driven although a limo was not out of the question.  OK, a horse and carriage would have been perfect, but I'm pretty sure that did not happen. Although it was "magical" sitting with Tony in box seats watching Camelot, I also discovered that seats that close were too close.  I remember thinking, "I can count the nose hairs of the conductor".  But I digress.

After Camelot, we just sat in the car outside his apartment and talked and talked.  I left for college soon after and then, got one of the most disappointing phone calls I'd ever received.  We only had one phone on our entire floor in my dorm, so someone had to get me for the phone call.  They were grinning but wouldn't tell me why.  Ah, the English accent. Tony was calling from the New York City airport--no easy task back then.  He was on a pay phone, putting coins in every few minutes.    When I got on, I knew it was him talking but I didn't understand anything he said.  While I never had any trouble with his accent in person, over the phone in 1966. ....I couldn't understand him.  I was so frustrated, I remember going down the hall of my dorm crying---a combination of him leaving but also my frustration at not being able to understand him. 

I only heard from him one more time---a Christmas card that just had his name. .. .

So, recently I began to wonder what happened to Tony.  I googled "Tony Edwards, RAF" (Royal Air Force) and was surprised at how quickly he popped up photos and all.   He was every bit as successful as I knew he would be.  He had a very successful career in aviation engineering and even was awarded a medal by Prince Phillip (Duke of Edinburgh).  He was on at least 16 boards.  This link will take you to a page where you need to scroll down to find Tony, but it details his career.  I don't think my 19 year old self would have been surprised at his success at all:  I had high standards.

But meanwhile, meeting Tony planted a seed in my brain and a new goal:  exchange student. And now I knew my "type": intelligent, warm, successful, good looking  and. . . . .not an American.