In the spring of 1988, my world seemed to be falling to pieces.  My best friend had just gotten married, and had moved with her Coast Guard husband to the Oregon Coast.  My father had gotten a new job in San Bernardino, so my parents moved to Southern California, with my mom transferring to her companys Gardena office.  I was about to finish my junior of college at the University of Washington, feeling a bit sorry for myself.  I had been dating a guy named Steve for a while, and my loneliness, coupled with a little peer pressure, all but forced me to accept his proposal of marriage.

I had convinced myself that I was in love with him, although its easy to see in retrospect that we were completely wrong for each other.  I had lost my virginity to him, so Im sure that had a lot to do with it.  He wasnt very athletic, didnt want to watch me play soccer, didnt like to wrestle, plus he called me Toots.  I know he didnt mean anything by it, thats what his dad called his mom, but it didnt work for me.  I told him as much, and he did stop, but Im sure it bothered him that it bothered me.

I had planned on spending my summer vacation with my folks in SoCal, so I needed to find a summer job.  Someone asked me where they were living, and I said Anaheim Hills.  She said, Isnt that where Disneyland is?  Hmmmm.seed planted.  I called Disneyland, had them send me an application, then I went down for Spring Break for an interview.  This was also the first time I actually went to the park I was hooked.  They hired me as a custodian for the summer season.

The plan was to work that summer at Disneyland, return to Seattle in the fall to complete my senior year and graduate, then plan my wedding to Steve and move to Boston.  Steve had been accepted into Harvards graduate school in Physics.  (I hate physics its one of two courses I failed in college)  Best laid plans and all that

They say absence makes the heart grow fonder.  I say absence makes the heart see more clearly.  As the summer went on, I realized that Steve was not the man I was supposed to marry.  I dont like being wrong, or looking foolish, so this was a realization that I wrestled with for a long time.  He was coming out to visit, and the pressure had built up so much that the words spilled out almost immediately after I picked him up at the airport.  Then, of course, I wanted to just pretend it never happened and enjoy the week with him another sure sign that I wasnt ready to get married.

By the end of the week, then tension finally got to me I made myself so sick I was throwing up.  My mom had to take him to the airport, and I called in sick to work for the first time in my life.  She would later tell me that she knew he was the wrong guy for me, but she wasnt going to tell me, since I probably wouldnt have listened.  I had to come to this conclusion on my own.

Coming next:  Disneyland, Part 2, and Mr. Right