The Decker Brothers - Part 6

Once we were delivered back to Oquaga Lake Road safe and sound and in one piece, the feelings of terror quickly subsided. Without hesitation we agreed to meet up with Golden, Lyle and Stanley Decker at Scott’s Casino later that evening. This was the main social room connected to Scott’s Family Resort and because our farmhouse was rented through them, we were free to use this recreational space whenever we wanted. The guys showed up as planned and we had a lovely time simply hanging out around Scott’s. Our newly found “boyfriends” were welcomed there as well.

The rest of our vacation went marvelously well. We saw "our guys" every evening.  Each day we sat on the lakeside dock with our hair up in rollers, chitchatting with each other and happily anticipating that evening's events.  One afternoon Scott’s Family Resort even  sponsored a beauty contest and Sharon, Dorothy and I walked across the stage in our bathing suits, each one of us hoping to win.  Dorothy won the contest and I remember feeling a little jealous.  

 

The photo above is the stage where the Beauty Contest took place, the next one below is beautiful Lake Oquaga at twilight with Scott's Showboat in the lower left corner, and the photo below the Lake is the spot under the porch where Lyle kissed me. 

When twilight time arrived, the Lake became magic and I felt I was living in a bit of a fantasy.  For the first time in my life a nice-looking young man was calling me Darling, and gently holding my hand.  As frightened as I was of water, at a time in my life when I couldn't swim a stroke, I even consented to take a ride around the Lake on Scott's Showboat.  There was a live band on board and romantic music played as Lyle tenderly placed his arm around my shoulder and promised he'd rescue me should we sink!  After we arrived safely to shore and walked back under the porch of Scott's Casino, Lyle leaned over and gently kissed me.  I especially remember that kiss!
In a heartbeat the vacation was coming to an end and the night before I was leaving to go back to Brooklyn, Lyle gave me his coveted hat, the one that had Lyle embroidered across the brim that he had gotten at the fair.  Then as dramatic as it sounds, we both cried.  We never saw each other again.

Some years later when I saw the movies, "Grease" and "Dirty Dancing" and heard lyrics such as "Summer days drifting away to oh, oh the summer nights" and  
"Now, I've had the time of my life. 
No, I never felt this way before. 
Yes, I swear it's the truth
 And I owe it all to you" , 
I remembered this coming- of- age, special time in my life.  It was a marvelous summer romance, very innocent and from the perspective of my 16 year-old self, “ I had the time of my life”. 

There are a few more things I'd like to write about this whole experience, although I'm too tired to write anymore tonight.  
Nevertheless, before I close for this evening I want to mention that these three young men were most respectful of us, and treated us lovingly.