Skater Punk and A Green-Eyed Guy

There is a new radio station in Big City, Big State.  I thought it was a 90's legends station because everytime I have tuned in there has been a Depeche Mode song playing.  Turns out it's a new alternative station that plays "the old stuff" during the day, but that's not the point.  The point is......I LOVE me some Depeche Mode. 

I was a freshman in college when I discovered Depeche Mode.  It was my second quarter at school, and I had fallen and hurt my leg over the Christmas break.  I hobbled into Geography class on crutches carrying a backpack that weighed more than I did.  I had to sit in the front row because my full leg cast wouldn't allow me to sit anywhere other than the front row.  This boy came to sit next to me so I wouldn't be the only person in the front row.  He was a skater punk with a great smile (I have a weakness for great teeth. And nice legs.)  After class, he carried my backpack to my car and asked me out.

I started dating the skater punk.  He wore all black with silver chains.  He was intelligent, funny, mysteriously different and in a band.  I was not the type of girl who dated boys that were in a band.  But his band was good, he was polite, and my mother allowed us to continue to date (I still lived at home for my first 2.5 years of college).

I started wearing all black, or long black skirts with plaid shirts with boots.  I wore pale makeup with bright red lipstick.  I was very skater-chic.  My mother, in her wisdom, didn't say anything.  She knew it was a phase.  I dated this boy for three months, the length of the one quarter at my college (we were on quarter system, not semester).  I found out after the Easter/Spring break that I had been the girl of "Winter 1988".  His friend told me that he only dated one girl per quarter, and I had been his "preppy" experiment.  He wanted to see if I would conform.  I could have kicked myself after learning all this, but I didn't regret getting to know him, his friends, or his world.  Out of this experience, I got a lesson in staying true to myself, the discovery of Depeche Mode, and my dad got his plaid shirts back.

During that time I also met a couple of people who have turned out to be life-long friends.  One of those people was a guy that was like a brother to me in college.  I met him at a fraternity party.  I needed someone to go to a Mardi Gras parade with me and so I called him out of the blue one day.  I spent the day with him and his brother.  Little did I know that day would turn out to be the first day of one of my longest lasting friendships. 

He was (and still is) beautiful...dark skin, dark hair, green eyes, heart of gold.  And he could sing exactly like the lead singer of Depeche Mode.  We would drive to the beach with the windows rolled down, hair whipping and warm air washing over us, Depeche Mode blaring, and him singing along in perfect harmony.  Perfect sunny, carefree days. 

No studying.  No tests.  No work. 
Just friendship.  Great lyrics. Complete happiness.

"World in My Eyes", "Policy of Truth", "Personal Jesus", "Strange Love".....the soundtrack to some of the best days of college.