When I was 19 years old I had been in the USAF about a year. I was young, dumb, naive, and about as bright as a box of rocks. One of my NCO's invited me over to his house after we had been sledding down the mountainside outside of Anchorage, Alaska.
When we got there I was introduced to his kids and we had supper. After the meal I was informed that the oldest, his daughter, played chess and would I want to chalange her. Of course I said yes.
This gal was almost as tall as I was and had long flowing blonde hair and a willowy figure and the prettiest set of hazel eyes I'd ever seen. While we stretched out on the floor studying the boared, I summoned up my courage to tell her that she had beautiful hair.
Well, all she did was to say "thank you" and continued on with the game.
Well, I was smitten. Since she didn't get all giggly or girly on me, I thought I'd found the girl of my dreams and love of my live. Here was a gal who could stay focused on what was important, had a good head on her shoulders, and according to her dad, could handle a firearm like she was born to it.
I was determined to win her heart at any cost. So, when my Sgt friend took me back to the barraks, I gathered up what courage I could and went to ask him if I could ask his daughter out on a date. Something clicked inside my head and made me ask how old she was first. When he said "ELEVEN" I almost died from embarassment. The cold hand of fear gripped me when I realized if the Sgt. figured out WHY I asked how old she was I was going to DIE.
Fortunately for me, I never told him what had transpired that night while I was stationed there.