When I was a young fellow, about thirteen, 
I had a group of friends who were a little older than I was, and more experienced. They knew a lot of different girls, and would often go to the beach with them if the weather was good.
One time we were at the beach, and most of the guys had gone out on some rocks, with the girls. I was interested in a particular girl a little bit, and said to myself: "I think I'd like to take Barbara to the movies…"
That's all I had to say, and the guy next to me got all excited. He marched out onto the rocks and found her. He pushed her back to the beach, all the while saying in a loud voice, "Feynman has something to say to you, Barbara!" It was most embarrassing.
Pretty soon the guys were all standing around me, making a scene, and saying, "Well, say it, Feynman!" So I invited her to the movies. It was my first date.
I went home and told my mother about it. She gave me all kinds of instructions on how to do this and that. For example, if we have to walk in the street, I should walk on the outside. She even told me what kinds of things to say. She was following a tradition: women teach their sons how to treat the next generation of women well.
After dinner, I bathed, got all dressed up, and went to Barbara's house to call for her. It was a big adventure for me, and I was feeling nervous and a little shy. She was still upstairs getting ready of course (it's always like that), so her family had me wait for her in the dining room, where they and their friends were eating pie - a lot of people. They all had forks in their mouths and were saying things like "Isn't he sweet!" and all kinds of other stuff. I didn't feel sweet. It was absolutely terrible!
I remembered everything about the date. As we walked from her house to the theater in town, we talked about playing the piano. I told her how, when I was younger, my parents had made me learn piano for a period of time, but after six months I was still playing "Dance of the Flowers" and couldn't stand it any more. You see, I was bothered by the thought that the other boys would think I was weak, and to be stuck for weeks playing "Dance of the Flowers" was too much for me, so I quit. I was really sensitive about showing any sign of weakness.
After the movie I walked her back to her home. I praised the pink overcoat she was wearing. Then we shook hands and I said goodbye to her.
Barbara said to me, "Thank you for a very lovely evening."
"You're welcome!" I answered. I felt wonderful.
The next time I went out on a date (it was with a different girl) I said goodbye to her, and she said, "Thank you for a very lovely evening."
I didn't feel quite so wonderful. I was beginning to understand that "thank you for a very lovely evening" might mean, "I don't want to see you again."
When I said goodbye to the third girl I took out, she's got her mouth open, ready to speak, and I said, "Thank you for a very lovely evening!"
She paused and stared at me for a moment, and said, "Thank you-uh-Oh!-Yes-uh, I had a lovely evening, too, thank you!"
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Going out on Dates 课文讲解
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