Love on the Slopes

We were opposites. I was shy and he never met a stranger. I was a planner and he was spontaneous. I was a bookworm and he was athletic. Despite our differences, we were drawn together. In some way, it felt as if we truly did "complete" one another.

I'll never forget the day that I agreed to let him teach me how to ski. He was an avid skier, whereas I had never donned a pair of skis. As a matter of fact, most people who knew me would say that I was a klutz whose feet were better left flat on the ground.

On this particular day, he took me to the nearest ski lodge. We put our skis on and he led me to the beginner's hill, which was filled mostly with kids. The hill was nothing more than a very gradual slope. To get to the top you had to grab onto a tow rope which pulled you to the top. It looked simple enough but every time I grabbed it, I would fall. The worst part was that once I fell, I could not pull myself back up. He told me, "Just turn your skis and you will just spring right up." Well, my 170 body evidently had no spring in it because my bottom stayed in the snow.

Some boyfriends might have given up at this point. Not my boyfriend. He decided to take me up on the ski lift with him. Despite my hesitation, he said he would "help" me down the hill. We got on the ski lift and everything was fine. He said we would be getting off midway up the mountain. I had never been on a ski lift before. I had no idea you had to exit at the top of a mound of snow and ski off. So by the time my boyfriend was off the lift, I was heading up the mountain. All I could think was "Oh, hell no". So what else could I do but jump? From 7 - 8 feet in the air, I took a flying leap off of the ski lift and landed in the snow. After their initial shock, a couple of workers helped me over to my boyfriends, who was still chuckling

As I collected myself, I looked down the mountain and immediately thought once again, "Oh, hell no". I bent over and started to unbuckle my skis. I started sliding, and I was going faster and faster. I didn't know how to turn, slow down, or stop. I was running amuck down the hill. All I could do was wave my arms and yell, "Look out!' First I plowed right into the snowmaking machine to the point it was blowing snow into the woods. Still, I kept on going. Next, I saw myself heading into a ski school in session. About 10 people were lined up listening to their instructor and I was heading right at them. "Look out!" I screamed. But it was too late. Like a bowling ball knocking over the pins, I plowed into them and down they fell. Fortunately, nobody was hurt. The instructor looked over at me and said, "Ma'am? Do you need a lesson?" I replied, "No. If you'll just help me to the lodge, I think I'm done with trying to ski."

Where was my boyfriend during all of this? He was skiing behind me, watching with a mixture of horror and amusement. I was mortified and figured my lack of athletic skills had probably scared him away.

Time, however, proved my worries were for nothing. We recently celebrated our 30^th wedding anniversary. I guess the old saying really is true. Opposites really do attract. As for skiing, I kept to my promise and never put another pair on. I know that many skiers out there are glad. The story, however, is one of our favorites to tell about our courtship days.