“Non, Soeur! Soeur, Non! Non! Non! Non!! That’s what Steve, my classmate was spewing at our Senior French IV teacher, Soeur Simonne, aka “Sister Simonne.”

Every year, Sister Simonne taught a French IV class at St. Francis High School. It was for an elite group of students who could speak, read and write French fluently. Most of us in the class grew up in homes where Canadian French was our first language, while Parisian French was what was taught in school. The differences, though at times significant, were not really that difficult to master for those of us with a French Canadian background. Every year this elite group of French IV students, put on a French play that was well attended in our Franco-American mill town. It was subsidized by the local Franco-American Group whose members were interested in keeping our heritage alive. It was well known that Sr. Simonne’s play was always a top-notch performance. As her students, we worked on it all semester, learning lines, working on delivery, backdrops, sets, positioning, everything that goes into play production.

Sister decided I would be the female lead role and Steve would be the lead male role. There were only ten of us in all so some students played multiple smaller roles. We had a lot of fun together and everything was going along fine.

While I was well liked and got along with everyone, it was pretty clear that I was more the girl-next-door type and not a “party” girl or a flirt.  Steve, on the other hand, was a star hockey-player, a jock that most girls would have loved to go out with. He enjoyed partying on weekends and he could be, and was, most often in the company of cheer-leaders, and pretty girls. With a devil-may-care attitude and a gleam in his eyes, he really was a lot of fun to be around.

That day, though, when Sister Simonne said she thought our onstage relationship of boyfriend/girlfriend should be cemented w/ a kiss at the end of the performance, I was astonished at the string of “No’s” that tumbled out of Steve’s mouth. He left no doubt in anyone’s mind how he felt about kissing me. I was mortified! Why was he so opposed to kissing me? Why? I asked myself; it’s not like it would mean anything. He certainly loved to flirt and seemed quite willing to kiss most girls if he could get away with it. Was I that repulsive that he couldn’t bring himself to give me a quick little kiss? I was trying so hard not to take it personally, not to cave in. One of his best friends, Adam, was sitting right next to me. He happened to glance over at me. He quickly and correctly assessed the situation as he saw me trying to keep my face from crumpling, struggling to pull myself together.

He turned in his chair, looked at Steve and commanded; “Steve! Steve! Stop it! But Steve was oblivious and he kept up his resistance to the idea of having to kiss me.

Finally, I could contain myself no longer. I burst into tears and ran out of the classroom to find a solitary place to pull myself together.

The interesting thing is that I don’t even remember what happened after that. All I know is that there was a compromise where we hugged instead of kissed and the play was a huge success.

Steve now lives in Chicago, where he is a hockey coach and scout for a University out there. Over the years, we’ve exchanged pleasantries at class reunions and we certainly have moved beyond that high school incident. A few years ago, I went to another of my class reunions. I think every woman alive tries to look her best at her high school reunion and I am no different. I had a new little dress that was flattering and I felt really good. I arrived a little ahead of my husband as he was working late and was to meet me there afterwards. Steve had come alone this time, and I’m guessing he thought I had too because he came right up to me, gave me a hug and said, “Every time I see you, you make me regret that I didn’t kiss you all those years ago when I had the opportunity to.” We laughed and talked a bit more. As I turned and walked away, I chuckled to myself, “It may have taken 35 years but, oh yes! Steve has redeemed himself!”

~Zanne

InSearchOfAuthenticity.com

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