The owner of the trailer park had a young daughter who hung around with Tommy's little sister, and she was the cutest girl imaginable.  She tied her hair up in little bows and smiled all the time and was in the ninth grade.  Her name was Cindy.  

Bear hung around with Russell, the guy who was dating Tommy's sister, and one night the four of them, Bear, Russell, Tommy's sister, and Cindy, were hanging out together and Bear was smitten.  He was a big guy and she was small, and it didn't make any sense at all.  But there it was.  And soon, Bear would just drive over in his souped up Rambler with Credence Clearwater Revival blasting on his eight track, and she would hop in to take a ride.  

That is how I got to know Bear.  

Bear had a sister two years younger than he who was in the tenth grade.  She was tall like Bear and had long, dark hair and a solid build.  She was a happy girl, but she was Bear's little sister and didn't hang out with our crowd, so I never thought about her much.  

That year, I had to go in for surgery to have a cyst removed and was in the hospital for a few days.  It happened that Bear's sister volunteered at that same hospital as a Candy Striper visiting rooms and handing out candies and magazines and razors.  I hadn't seen her there, but one afternoon when my parents were visiting, she walked in.  And she was stunning.  I could see it in my father's eyes.  She was nearly as tall as he and in her little candy-cane smock managed to look like a Playboy Bunny.  She was very professional and mature and came over to see if I needed anything and we chatted a bit before she left.  She turned and said goodbye to my parents and left the room.  My father's eyes were like pies when he looked at me.  He just shook his head.  

One night, I called Bear's house to see what he was doing.  It was Friday and his sister answered the phone.  Bear wasn't there, so we chatted for a bit.  I asked her what she was doing that night and she said she didn't know.  Then I asked her if she had seen some movie that was playing just then and she said no, she hadn't.  I asked her if she would like to see it.  It may be clear to you here what she supposed I was asking by the juxtaposition of those two questions, but it never crossed my mind that she thought I was asking her out.  When she said yes, she did want to see that movie, I merely thought she meant some time and with some one, not with me.  We chatted a little while longer and then in saying goodbye, I told her that I would see her that night.  I meant that I would be over to see her brother.  

Around dark, I picked up Tommy and we drove over to Bear's house.  When I knocked on the door, his sister answered.  She was dressed for a date which was not surprising.  I was sure she dated all the time.  But in a minute it became uncomfortably clear to me that she was ready for a date WITH ME and she seemed very confused at the presence of Tommy who had figured it out and thought the whole thing hilarious until I told him I would take him home and drop him off at his house.