The Promise

by Lina Rehal

She wore poodle skirts,
pink cardigan sweaters
with tiny pearl buttons,
saddle shoes, bobby socks,
his class ring
on a chain around her neck.
He was handsome,
had dark wavy hair,
wore a leather jacket,
worked in his father's
hardware store,
owned his own car.
He carried her books to class
drove her home from school,
called her on the telephone,
recited sweet poetry.
They drank cherry Cokes
at the soda shop,
held hands at the movies,
shared sweet kisses
when they thought
no one was watching.
She kept his picture
on her bureau,
and the first rose
that he gave her;
tokens of his affection.
At their senior prom,
he promised
to love her always.

The Author

Lina Rehal is a freelance writer and poet whose short stories, essays and poems have appeared in several online magazines and three anthologies. A full time executive secretary and mother of two grown children, she lives with her husband on the north shore near Boston. Her travel and feature articles and photographs have been published in newspapers. She is the author of Carousel Kisses, a collection of nostalgic stories about growing up during the 1950s-1960s. Visit her website at luvs2write.com.