First date

Watching a Beach Boys' special last night, hosted by Brian Wilson himself,  I was transported back to my first date with Brian Smith, the late CTV sports broadcaster and 13-year NHLer, brutally murdered by a madman in 1995 in the parking lot of Ottawa's CJOH TV.  I was at our cottage in The Gatineau's when the news came over the radio.  So stunned and sad, I had to sit down to absorb it.  Even though I had not seen Brian for a number of years, my mind immediately went back to the summer of 1967, when he and I dated.  We had a ball.

Handsome and charming, Brian unexpectedly asked me out.  Why, I don't have a clue because he was a professional hockey player and I didn't have long, blonde hair and big.....you-know-whats?  (Note:  Watch 'Hockey Wives' for this important clue.)  Never mind, that summer was magical, as Brian and I and various other professional hockey players and hangers-on haunted Hull's seedier watering holes such as "The Chaud", The Ottawa House, The Chamberlain and The British Hotel.  We spent many weekends at his family cottage and I was so impressed by his gentlemanly behaviour -- especially when he gallantly protected me from flying beer bottles at The Chaud during "disagreements" among patrons.  We actually dove under tables until the fracas dissipated!

The late Gerry Barber was the bouncer, a guy who could toss huge, black, American, Ottawa Rough Rider football players into the parking lot with one fell upper cut.  Amazing!  Later, between marriages, I ran into Brian again and we picked it up for a time.  But it didn't last; he had begun dating his future wife, Alana Kainz, and I had met my future (and present) husband.    

But on our first date, Brian had invited me to a Beach Boys' concert at Landsdowne Park.  How romantic and cool!  Looking back, I don't know what it was with me and professional hockey players, but I dated another in 1968, Bryan Watson.  Again, that didn't last because, while it's fun dating professional hockey players, one doesn't actually marry one.  Although, with Brian Smith.....???  Who knows because he wasn't your average, garden-variety hockey thug. 

Note:  Watch 'Hockey Wives' for this important clue.