Summer 1966

It is so strange how a song can come into your head and that can trigger memories.

This morning I suddenly started humming 'Strangers in the Night' and that instantly transported me back many years to the summer of 1966. I was on a river cruise with my Uncle Jack, he had a travel agency and I was very lucky to be taken to many fascinating places with him. That summer we were travelling along the Rhine and the Moselle. I can remember seeing some fairytale castles, going to an Opera and meeting some BOYS. I was at a very impressionable age, turning 16 that year and reminded that I could soon be 'sweet 16 and never been kissed'.

The song 'Strangers in the Night' memory was during the second week while travelling down the Rhine. There was some sort of party on board the boat as far as I can remember and music was being played. There must have been a small dance floor and I was sat just wishing someone would ask me to dance. Uncle Jack never danced and anyway he was old and didn't like the 'new' music. There was a young German lad I had been eyeing up but never thought he would look at me. So I sat and watched other people dancing while I sipped my cool drink. Then 'Strangers in the Night' was being played and before I could start singing along to it a tall young man was standing next to me and asking my Uncle if he could dance with me. Well before anything else was said I was on my feet and walking to the dance floor, with my good looking young German in tow. As it was a slow dance I suppose we danced fairly close, rather forward for a first dance. Thinking back to that time I am rather surprised at myself because I was rather a shy teenager but I suppose I was just so excited that someone had asked me to dance. I am sure I had a lovely evening after that and I think I danced quite a few times. It would be great if I could remember his name and said that I kept in touch with him but I didn't. In those days it wasn't so easy, if we would have had mobile phones and Facebook back then I suppose we might have stayed in touch but it wasn't to be. I don't think we even swapped addresses because I don't remember ever hearing from him. I wonder what his name was!!