This, That, and the Other

For this week’s Thursday Inspiration prompt, Jim Adams has instructed us to respond to this challenge by either using the prompt word cold, or going with the above picture, or by means of the song “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough,” or by going with another song by Marvin Gaye, or anything else that you think fits.

This prompt word and the picture reminded me of a girl in high school. Her name was Marylee and she was beautiful. All the guys were after her. But she had told her friends that she was saving herself for marriage and wouldn’t put out for any guy. As a result, people started calling her the “Ice Queen.”

I was no star athlete in high school. I did not possess movie star looks. But I decided, against all odds, to make it my personal mission to melt the heart of the Ice Queen. She knew who I was because we had an American literature class together. But we rarely actually spoke, which is why I was pleasantly surprised after I finally summoned up the courage to ask her if she would go out on a date with me, and she said yes.

We had a very nice time on that first date, and when I asked Marylee if she’d like to go out again, she again said yes. On the second date we hugged and kissed (with tongues, no less) when I dropped her off at the end of the date. On the third date we were parked on a service road at the local city park and were petting, as it was called at the time, and she let me put my hands on her boobs over her blouse and bra. She rested her hand in my crotch on top of my obvious erection.

My mission was going well, and it was my heart that was melting. For the first time in my young life I had fallen in love.

My best friend asked me how my quest was going and I told him it was progressing better than I expected and made the mistake of telling him that I’d gotten to second base. He then passed that on to someone else, who passed that on to someone else and on and on.

The next night I got a call from Marylee. She was livid at the rumors going around the school that we had had sex. I told her that I never said that to anyone, but admitted to telling my best friend that I had felt her up over her clothes. That was it. She called me a kiss-and-tell guy, and said, “It’s too bad, because I really liked you, but now it’s over.”

I apologized profusely and told her it would never happen again. I told her I’d make sure everyone knew that we hadn’t had sex if she took me back. But she was unmoved.

I admitted my depth of feelings for her and that I could tell that she had genuine feelings for me. I asked her how she could be so cold to just walk away from what we had. I literally begged her not to slam the door shut on what could be a beautiful romance. But she was steadfast.

“I know that I’m known as the Ice Queen at school, Marylee said. “And yes, you were chipping away at that, I admit. But my mind is made up. We’re done.”

The song that best illustrates my story is one by the band Foreigner called “Cold As Ice.” It was written by band members Lou Gramm and Mick Jones and was released as a single from Foreigner’s debut album in 1977. It became one of the best-known songs of the band in the U.S., peaking at number 6 on the Billboard Hot 100.

You're as cold as ice
You're willing to sacrifice our love
You never take advice
Someday you'll pay the price, I know

I've seen it before
It happens all the time
Closing the door
You leave the world behind

You're digging for gold
Yet throwing away
A fortune in feelings
But someday you'll pay

You're as cold as ice
You're willing to sacrifice our love
You want paradise
But someday you'll pay the price, I know

I've seen it before
It happens all the time
Closing the door
You leave the world behind

You're digging for gold
Yet throwing away
A fortune in feelings
But someday you'll pay

(Cold as ice)
You know that you are
(Cold as ice)
As cold as ice to me
(Cold as ice)

(Ooh, ooh, ooh, you're as cold as ice)
(You're as cold as ice)
You're as cold as ice
Cold as ice I know
Yes, I know
You're as cold as ice
Cold as ice I know
Oh, yes I know
You're as cold as ice
Cold as ice I know
Oh, yes I know