Goodbye David

Goodbye David

As a teenager, I picked up a guitar, eager to connect, and started jamming and singing with my friends I met at my new school. We formed a band and passionately performed Irish dance routines for our local crowd. Honestly, catching the attention of the teenage boys was incredibly thrilling. It was all innocent fun, but those moments became some of my most cherished lifelong memories.

My friend Ita had a brother named David, and he quickly became another reason I looked forward to chilling with our band. Eventually, he asked me out, and I couldn’t help but be drawn to his funny, kind nature. Being around him felt natural and effortless, and I found myself totally smitten. David told me he felt the same, and honestly, I was falling hard—completely, hopelessly in love. We shared that sweet, simple kind of teenage romance—innocent and full of joy. As a hopeless romantic, I couldn’t wait to rush home each day and write all about this new happiness in my diary.

David and I went to the same school, and for the first time, I couldn’t wait to head out the door every morning. He’d surprise me with little gifts or slip notes into my things during class, making me smile or giggle. When our classmates found out about us, the teasing just made everything more fun and exciting.

One day, David gave me his last Rolo, and I felt a rush of emotion from that simple gesture. It reminded me of an ad I saw on TV about giving your loved one your last Rolo. I still smile when I think about how much that small candy meant to me. I kept it under my pillow for months, until it turned completely white and stained the pillowcase. Luckily, I was able to hide the damage before Mom noticed anything was off with the bedding.

As the pedantic voice of the Isish teacher drifted into the background, I stared out the school prefab window, my mind filled with dreams of all the special moments and adventures David and I would share in the future. With David, I finally felt the love and attention I’ve always longed for.

I realised I was hooked on David and the constant stream of his approval. I look back fondly on our first kiss. It’s funny—I had always thought kissing a guy would be pointless, but when it happened with David, an unfamiliar wave of heat swept through my entire body, from my head to my toes.

As I tried to decide between the green and blue beret to complete my new dress and heels, my heart fluttered with excitement. I needed to look my best as David was attending the upcoming youth club disco. I was hoping and praying we would finally get to dance to our favourite slow dance.

My excitement at leaving the house was met with the usual objection from Mum, who seemed particularly averse to my going out with such enthusiasm. Of course, she attempted to block me at the door, but armed with my newfound teenage bravery, her efforts were in vain.

I recall another Sunday afternoon, when I escaped to meet David secretly to go cycling in the countryside. I was thrilled when he eventually stopped five miles from town and told me he had a surprise for me. His uncle had a horse in the nearby field, and we were going to hop on it for a ride. I was thrilled as he helped me up onto the horse and we rode together around the field bareback. The only sensation I felt was the feeling of his strong, captive, loving arms around my waist that day. I recall wishing that day would never end.

That winter brought the most stunning snowfall, making our romantic moment even sweeter. When my legs started to slide on the ice, David, the true gentleman, darted over to help me up, gently wrapping me in his coat. But honestly, his kind offers and the touch of his hand were all I really needed to feel warm inside each time.

The snow really livened up the day for our group of friends. We joked around with snowball fights, built enormous snowmen, and carved slides with an old chrome bin lid, taking turns pushing each other down the hill.

The girls wrapped scarves around the boys’ waists, then knelt behind them, pulling them along through the snow and ice. The boys were sweating and exhausted, but they never admitted it to their friends. We often held racing contests to bring out their competitive streak, with each boy eager to prove he was faster and in better shape than the others.

Forty years later, I still get excited when I experience the magic of the crisp, frozen air just before the first snowfall. I love sitting outside, gazing up at the sky and watching millions of gentle, silent snowflakes softly fall—hitting the ground, melting away, and disappearing forever.

While hanging out with my friends, David always kept an eye on me and came to help whenever I needed support. It felt comforting to know he was there, and his caring gestures truly meant a lot. I genuinely believed the deep love we shared would last forever.

Sadly, as time went on, I had to say goodbye to my close-knit friends back home and move overseas to chase my dream of becoming a midwife. I was torn between the love I was leaving behind and my passion for helping new life begin. As a young, idealistic person, I could have it all, but tragically, I was mistaken.

The first Christmas I went back to my hometown from college, I found out that David wasn’t as committed to us as I was and had moved on with a new girlfriend. When Ita told me, I broke down and didn’t stop crying for three days, sobbing even longer. Every place I went and every thought in my head were painful reminders of David and that intense, impossible love of my life. Saying goodbye at the airport on my way back to college felt like the world I knew—full of joy, laughter, and deep love—had shattered forever. Sure, I would eventually find a new chapter, but it could never again be the innocent, all-consuming, magical fantasy I had experienced in those simple, beautiful teenage years.