Reardon 1 Taylor Reardon Mrs. Raymond English 1103 24 October 2013 Love at First ight The strong s!

mmer rays beat across "oe#s $ace as he %i&ed the &ers&iration o$$ his $orehead !sing his han'er chie$. T!rning aro!nd to grab his s!itcase he ca!ght the eye o$ his best $riend Ma( %al'ing bris'ly to%ards him. )*o! got yo!r !ni$orm+, Ma( as'ed "oe %ith a smilealready 'no%ing the ans%er. "oe rolled his eyes b!t &layed along %ith his $riend any%ay )yes sir. s!re do, "oe re&lied. )/er$ect- %e#re ready $or ta'e0o$$, Ma( said %ith enth!siasm as he read1!sted his d!$$le bag over his sho!lder and headed to%ards their car. 2$ter %hat seemed li'e ho!rs o$ Ma(#s !nsto&&able tal'ing- they $inally &ar'ed their car at the Marriott 3otel. They had arrived in t. Lo!is. The city streets %ere $illed %ith $o!rth o$ "!ly s&irit. 4nited tates $lags h!ng above every b!ilding#s door%ay- $ire%or' stands on every other bloc'- and red- %hite- and bl!e dis&lays in every %indo%. Ma( and "oe entered their hotel and breathed in the $resh air conditioning that blasted in the main entrance o$ the Marriott. 2cross the hotel they $o!nd the rece&tionist des' %here their $riends 5avid- Thomas- and Teddy %aited. 4&on grabbing their 'eys they headed !& to their rooms. Once they all sho%ered they &!t on their !ni$orms !&on Ma(#s re6!est. 3e seemed to believe that their 2ir Force !ni$orms %o!ld attract the ladies- so they did as he said. )7here are %e going again+, Teddy as'ed Ma(. )There#s the bar a $e% bloc's a%ay . tho!ght %e co!ld go to-, Ma( s!ggested. Everybody agreed to Ma(#s &lan. The $irst time they heard the m!sic coming $rom do%nstairs %as %hen they le$t their

Reardon 2 rooms- headed $or the bar. )7hat#s that+, Thomas as'ed 'no%ing no one 'ne% the ans%er. They all loo'ed at each other and shr!gged b!t started their %ay do%nstairs to%ards the m!sic. 2ll o$ them smiled as they soon reali8ed the area they once 'ne% as the lobby had been t!rned into a ballroom o$ celebration. 9irc!lar dinner tables had been set !& %ith red and bl!e table cloths and a b!$$et o$ $ood along the side o$ the room %as created. Lights and banners had been str!ng across the )dance $loor,. 2 band %as in the &rocess o$ setting !& on the ne%ly installed stage and the bar they hadn#t noticed %hen they %al'ed in %as loaded %ith $o!r bartenders ready to serve drin's. ) o abo!t that bar...,- Teddy said as the gro!& made their %ay to%ards a dinner table. The night had been $illed %ith $!n- m!sic- dancing- and drin'ing b!t it had only 1!st beg!n. 2s "oe sat at their table a$ter coming bac' $rom the dance $loor $or a brea'- he noticed a gorgeo!s yo!ng %oman sitting by hersel$ at the bar. 2ma8ed that he hadn#t seen her earlier- he made his %ay over to her. )E(c!se me miss-, "oe started b!t sto&&ed %hen she t!rned aro!nd to $ace him- seeing her $ace and bea!ti$!l ha8el eyes $or the $irst time. )*es+, she said loo'ing right at him %ith a smile as s%eet as he had ever seen. )7o!ld yo! li'e to dance+, he as'ed !ns!rely- not %anting to be re1ected by her. To his astonishment she stood !& $rom the bar and ta'ing his hand- she led them to the dance $loor. Later in the night- a$ter dancing %ith the yo!ng %oman named Mary- "oe reali8ed he co!ldn#t sto& thin'ing abo!t her. 3e hadn#t seen her since they danced and %as loo'ing aro!nd the room $or her %hen he $o!nd her alone at the bar again. "oe didn#t !nderstand it. 3o% co!ld a girl li'e her not have a date+ o- he made his %ay over to her once again. This time he as'ed Mary i$ she had a date. he didn#t res&ond b!t instead- t!rned her head to%ard the band and

&ointed. The head o$ the band %as her date. :reat- "oe tho!ght to himsel$- there#s only one thing

Reardon 3 to do. )Mary- co!ld . ta'e yo! o!t to dinner tomorro% night+, "oe as'ed. Mary#s $ace %as &riceless- yo! co!ld clearly see that she %as shoc'ed b!t ha&&y and to "oe#s s!r&rise she said yes. 2nd that %as the beginning o$ a more than ;0 year love story.