The following “letter” is part of the continuing series from the unpublished novel by James Garrett, “Benicia Letters Once More”. He does not plan to publish the book but instead is choosing to share the letters with the readers of the Benicia Herald. The letters continue the storyline of Garrett’s first novel “Benicia and Letters of Love”. Each “letter” tells of love in one of its many forms from a separate point of view. Benicia is represented prominently in the letters because of Garrett’s deep fondness for the city of Benicia. He hopes readers see themselves or others they know in the letters because the concept of “Love” is universal.

Mr. Garrett,
I didn’t have a car. There was a nice young lady I wanted to ask for a date. We would have to walk whether it was to a dance at the high school or to one of the two movie theaters Benicia had at that time.
I asked Ann to go to the movies with me on the Saturday night coming up. When I told her I didn’t have a car and we would have to walk, she said she knew I didn’t have a car and walking with me would be fine.
It was daylight savings time of the year. When I walked to her home there wasn’t much street traffic, unlike today.
Ann introduced me to her parents. I told them we would be going to the State Theater for a movie starring Gary Cooper and Charlton Heston. Her father asked if we would like him to drive us to the theater. Ann immediately said it was fine if she and I walked. Her father laughed and said he understood.
Her mother said the actors were good and it should be a good movie and hoped we would enjoy it. She closed the door behind us as we stepped onto the porch.
Something I hadn’t expected happened then. Ann put an arm around mine just before we stepped off the porch. It felt comfortable to me and I didn’t mind at all.
We walked slowly to the theater. I bought us loge tickets, some popcorn and drinks, and we talked in the lobby with two friends who were also on a date. Then we walked up the stairs at the opposite end of the lobby from the snack bar, picked out two seats in the loge and sat down.
I remember we didn’t say much before the movie started. By the time the movie began we had finished our popcorn and drinks. Neither came then in the size of packaging they do now.
I could tell you the plot of the film, but to tell the truth I wasn’t thinking much about the movie. What I kept thinking about was how nice Ann smelled.
When we left the theater, we saw it had been raining in one of those April rains we often get in Benicia. A light mist was in the air as I walked Ann home. The walk home took longer than the walk to the movie. I didn’t mind and neither did she.
Eventually, after high school, I got my first car. The girl with whom I walked to the movies that night was the girl I asked to be my first date riding in that car. Ann has been my only date since the walk home from the movies in the mist that night.
Sean

James Garrett is a lifelong resident of Benicia and a former teacher at Benicia High School. He is the author of the following novels: “Benicia and Letters of Love,” “The Mansion Stories,” “Chief Salt,” and “One Great Season, 9-0!” He also compiled a three-volume work titled “The Golden Era: Benicia High School Football, The 1948 through 1960 Seasons, “A” History with Comments.”
He can be contacted at jgstoriesnpoetry@aol.com.

Sharing is caring!