Every summer my parents would take us kids camping out on the Frio River, and it was my absolute favorite place on earth. I’d meet tons of people and make so many friends, we camped basically the same week year after year. The summer before 7th grade, I met a girl from Deer Park. She made for an excellent dance partner; we wore that Garner dance floor out. As usual, the trip didn’t last and it was over in the blink of an eye. I dreaded saying goodbye. I told her I’d be back again next year, so don’t forget about me. Then somehow, I scored her number and AIM screen name! The first thing I did when I got home was message her(neither of us had cell phones yet). At the time, I didn’t know how great that decision would turn out to be.
We kept in touch all year long, with many nights staying up way to late talking on the house phone, and before we’d know it, it’d be Frio time again. Year after year, she was my river girl. Deer Park and Friendswood were so “far” apart, but the river kept us close. That summer love lasted for years, junior high and high school , MySpace then Facebook, we’d never forgot those Garner nights. But time did it’s thing, and our lives did the same, college was a blur; but it’s crazy how this world works.
College station led our paths to cross a time or two, making for some reminiscent encounters, but life kept my nose to the grindstone. Work took the reigns, and college was in the rear view. From Beaumont to Denver, I’d chased the dollar; focused on one thing, be someone. It was work, sleep, repeat as I made my way back to Houston. There, a friend of mine had other plans. “There’s a show tonight.” Live music, my weakness, Whiskey Myers was in town and I couldn’t pass it up, thank god I didn’t.
The crowded bar felt like a high school reunion, hiding from familiar faces just trying to enjoy the sound. My friend, a Pasadena boy, had another friend headed our way; and their arrival stopped me in my tracks. My river girl. She walked through the doors and made every person disappear. There’s no way, this is who is meeting us? He had no clue of our history, but everyone in the room could feel it once we got on the dance floor. “Earthquakes and hurricanes, and slow moving freight trains, girls that’s how you make me feel some times” that song played while the man upstairs was patting himself on the back. All the years, summers at the river, high school, college, he never let us get to far; and there we were. My dance partner, my Garner girl, she wasn’t getting away again.
Our love story began at the Frio River, way back in 2004 (or was it '03 or ’02). Drew and I went to the Frio every summer with family or friends. I think we met the first year we both camped at Parkview Riverside with our parents. I wish I could remember how we met, whether it was on the river or at the dance (most likely it was him asking me to dance). However it happened, I was crushing hard on him. We were just kids hanging at rock beach, climbing Old Baldy and going to the dance at night. He was definitely my favorite dance partner.
The Frio was my favorite place on the earth and I hated leaving (still to this day). Back home we talked on the phone into the night, instant messaged on the computer (awe rip aim) and I’m pretty sure he was always on my top 8 on MySpace (lol). We weren’t ever really “officially” bf/gf since Friendswood and Deer Park were so far away (haha, only like 30 min), but in junior high you dated whoever was in your class that year lol. Through the end of high school we didn’t stay in touch as much. Freshman year in College Station I remember calling my Mom “MOM, GUESS WHOS HERE!!! DREW!! But.... I think he has a gf ☹”. He invited me to a couple of his house parties (lol) but that was about it.
Fast forward to junior year, first night back home for winter break, I was bored and newly single. A friend invited me to Big Texas and I didn’t really feel like going until I found out Whiskey Meyers was playing that night. I got dressed, drove myself and met my friend who was with DREW. (Omgsh, I hadn’t seen him in forever!) I still remember what he was wearing and the look on his face. We ended up hanging out, watching the band and dancing into the night. 4 years later, he’s still my favorite dance partner. xoxo ash