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"I WAS DOWN IN THE CAFETERIA EATING CHOCOLATE TASTYCAKE CUPCAKES WHEN SEVERAL GIRLS CAME IN SCREAMING 'THERE IS A NEW GUY UPSTAIRS CHECKING INTO THE OFFICE AND HE IS TALL, DARK AND HANDSOME AND FROM NY"..
I IMMEDIATELY SAID REAL LOUD 'HE IS MINE, HE IS TAKING ME TO THE FRESHMAN HOP AND DATING ME FOR TWO YEARS'...
'NANGLE THAT IS NUTS, YOU HAVEN'T EVEN SEEN HIM. 'WHEN HE SEES ME HE WILL GO WITH ME TO THE DANCE FOR SURE'....
SO UP THE STAIRS I WENT AND SAW NICKY GAETA STANDING THERE OUTSIDE THE PRINCIPLES OFFICE.
HE HAD ON BLACK SLACKS, CASHMERE BLACK SWEATER AND I SAID 'HI WOULD YOU LIKE TO DATE ME FOR 2 YEARS AND BE MY BOYFRIEND AND TAKE ME TO THE FRESHMAN DANCE"?
HE SAID 'YES'
ALL THE GIRLS WERE HIDING AROUND THE CORNER...WATCHING ALL OF THIS.
IT WAS SO FUNNY.
I BOUGHT A HALTER NECKLINE RED DRESS FOR THE FRESHMAN DANCE.
WE DANCED ALL THE TIME , EVERYWHERE AROUND THE PHILLY SUBURBS AT ST'ALICE'S 60TH STREET IN UPPER DARBY, PA ON FRIDAY NIGHTS. THERE WAS A BIG BALL IN THE CENTER OF THE CEILING AND HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE WAITED FOR US TO COME THROUGH THE CROWD AND DOWN ONTO THE FLOOR TO DANCE TOGETHER.
WE ALWAYS PUT OUR STEPS AND ROUTINE, CLOTHES AND HAIR TOGETHER AT MY HOUSE IN ALDAN, DELAWARE COUNTY AND THEN TOOK THE TROLLEY.
I CAN SEE IT PERFECTLY, THE 2 OF US DANCING AS SO MANY PEOPLE WATCHED US.
IT WAS THE 50'S AND THE DOO WOP ERA OF MUSIC AND ALL THE GROUPS WERE LIVE AND CAME.
MY NAME WAS JUDY NANGLE. I HAVE 3 BROTHERS AND WE ALL PLAYED SPORTS SO I PLAYED FIELD HOCKEY FROM 6TH GRADE ON SO I DIDN'T WANT TO GIVE UP BEING A LEFT WING AND LET NICKY GO ON BANDSTAND AND DANCE WITH CAROL ANYTIME HE WANTED BECAUSE I PUT ON MY CLEATS WITH ALL MY GIRLFRIENDS AND PLAYED FIELD HOCKEY AFTER SCHOOL INSTEAD.
NICKY AND I HAD IT ALL PLANNED AND BOTH OF US WERE HAPPY.
SATURDAY NIGHTS WE DANCED AT HOLY CROSS SCHOOL AUDITORIUM IN SPRINGFIELD PA AND THE CROWDS WERE ENORMOUS.
NICKY'S MOTHER AND I WERE SUCH GOOD FRIENDS AND I ALWAYS ADORED HER. SHE LOOKED LIKE LORETTA YOUNG I THOUGHT AND SHE WORSHIPPED NICKY.
I MET ALL NICKY'S RELATIVES OVER TIME AND REMEMBER THEM ALL TOO.
NICKY AND I GOT ALONG PERFECTLY. WE WERE SUCH GOOD FRIENDS TOO AND IN THOSE DAYS THERE WAS NO SEX, SMOKING, DRINKING BUT WE DID KISS AT HIS HOUSE WITH JOHNNY MATHIS PLAYING. THE MAKE-OUT PARTIES. FUNNY.
THERE AT NICKY'S I SAW THE BIG BOXES OF FAN MAIL HE GOT ALL THE TIME AND PICTURES OF HIM WERE ON MAGAZINE COVERS.
HE DRESSED UP ALL THE TIME AND WORE SUCH FABULOUS CLOTHES.
NICKY TAUGHT ME SO MUCH AND AS WE MET SO MANY PEOPLE TOGETHER I THINK BACK NOW THAT THE AMERICAN BANDSTAND ERA ALLOWED ME TO GAIN KNOWLEDGE ON DRESSING WELL, HANDLING LOTS OF PEOPLE AND REPRESENTING MYSELF IN THE BEST MANNER.
NICKY WAS MY FIRST LOVE, PUPPY LOVE, TEEN LOVE IN A TIME SO INNOCENT, SWEET, FUN AND ALMOST IDEAL.
THE OTHER NIGHT MY HUSBAND TOM AND I TAPED 3 HOURS OF DOO WOP 50'S MUSIC AND IT BROUGHT BACK THE WONDER DAYS OF THE 50'S.
I AM GLAD TO HAVE GROWN UP IN A TIME WITH SUCH SIMPLE PLEASURES OF FAMILY, FAITH AND LAUGHTER.
THIS IS REALLY GETTING TO ME NOW SO I WILL FINISH BY SAYING. WHEN NICKY TOOK ME IN HIS ARMS TO GO ONTO THE DANCE FLOOR I JUST FELT SO BEAUTIFUL AND IMPORTANT AND VALUED AND CHERISHED.JUST THE ROMANTIC THINGS A GUY DOES FOR A GIRL..TIMELESS.
I AM GLAD TO SAY THAT NICKY GAETA WAS A PERFECT GENTLEMAN AND I AM SO VERY HAPPY TO TELL YOU ABOUT HIM.
WHEN NICKY DIED I WAS MARRIED WITH 3 CHILDREN LIVING IN MARYLAND AND WHEN I FOUND OUT LATER I DID GO TO SEE HIS MOTHER.
I ALWAYS LOVED NICKY'S MOTHER.
HIS ROOM WAS LEFT UNTOUCHED AND A CANDLE WAS LIT EVERY DAY IN NICKY'S ROOM BY A MOTHER WHO SUFFERED SUCH TERRIBLE LOSS.
I AM SO GLAD TO TELL YOU THE 'BEHIND THE SCENES PART I PLAYED IN AMERICAN BANDSTAND', NICKY GAETA'S LIFE AND TO PASS ON TO YOU A GLIMPSE INTO THE WONDERFUL 50'S ERA.
JUDY NANGLE (maiden name)
NEW OXFORD, PA
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