Nobody more charming

I was shocked to read of Bryan Watson's death in 'The Globe and Mail' yesterday.  Bryan captured my heart in the summer of 1966, when we dated.  I was taking a summer course at Carleton, because I had failed 'Earth Sciences', and Bryan was hanging around looking to meet young ladies.  For some reason, he set his sights on me.

This was odd because I was not the long-blonde-haired-chick type most hockey players always go for.  I had very short, brown hair and small ta-tas.  Nevertheless, we connected and I had the most fabulous summer of my life.

I was 20, he 24.  Back then, professional hockey players had money, but not the kind they have now.  Bryan had a red, Firebird convertible, which he let me drive so I could get to my summer job at Tunney's Pasture, while he played golf all day.  Then, exhausted, I would go home and flop into bed because we had been out in Hull 'til 2 a.m!  Undeterred, Bryan would show up the next evening and charm my mother, who would come up to my bedroom and say, "Dear, Bryan is downstairs.  He wants you to go out this evening."  Guess what?  I always went because he was so persuasive and charming.

He was also ugly because he had been an NHL defenceman before the era of helmuts and face masks.  His nose was off to one side, scars everywhere and false teeth.  (Google him) The obituary described him as "diminutive, feisty and fearless" and I guess at 5 foot 9 and 175 pounds he was, compared to the beasts playing the game today.  When I dated him, he was with the Habs, but he subsequently played for many other teams in both the NHL and WHL.  He ended up buying and running a restaurant outside Washington and, sadly, I never saw him again.

But he was so charming.  And a complete gentleman.

After I had moved to Toronto in 1968, he called me to say he wanted to come over.  I was thrilled!  I thought he wanted to resume our romance, but I was wrong.  Always the gentlemen, he came to tell me he was going to marry Lindy, his high school sweetheart, because he had to.  I was crestfallen, but they stayed married for 53 years; bravo to them.  

So, farewell to Bryan Watson, a wonderful guy!

_____________________________

P.S.  I also dated Brian Smith, another NHLer the next summer.  So sad he was murdered.  What was it with me and NHLer's??  Ah well, great memories!