I've got a problem that's been botherering me for some time. Perhaps I've let it go too long without talking to someone about it, so that's why I have decided to impose upon you and ask for some advice!
Let me start at the beginning and tell you the whole story. One day not too long ago, I was leaving the library when I saw this girl trying to make it up the library steps with a gigantic stack of books. Before I could offer her a hand, she stumbled and sent the books flying in all directions!
I helped her pick them up and I noticed that several were on the subject of horses. I asked her if she liked horses, and she said her father was going to get her one for her birthday if she learned as much as she could about them!
I FELT COMFORTABLE
Right away this interested me since I love to ride and someday hope to haye horses of my own. I volunteered to carry the books inside and introduced myself. She smiled faintly when I told her I was Barry Cowsill and told me she was Clara. Suddenly I felt very good! You see, she made me feel entirely comfortable and didn't care if I was a Cowsill or not! This always makes me happy because I like to be treated just like everyone else!
We sat at the library talking for a while and really hit it off groovy together. She invited me over to her house the next day to see her collection of horse pictures and some ribbons her father had won in riding events!
The next morning was Saturday. I spent almost two hours reading up on horses myself. I guess I wanted to make a good impression on her because she had impressed me by treat-
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ing me as a friend! I felt she liked me for myself—not for my name!
INVITATION TO LUNCH
I spent a very enjoyable afternoon at her house. She had the most elaborate collection of pictures I had ever seen! Even her father joined in on our discussion of the various breeds of horses.
Before I left, I asked her if she cared to come to my house for lunch on Sunday. She didn't live too far, and her mother agreed to drive her over. I wanted her to meet my family and get to know her better.
Well, she arrived promptly at 1:00 the next day and I introduced her to the family, then showed her around the place. After lunch we went out to sit by the pool and talk. She suddenly took a small camera from her bag and asked if we could take pictures. I'm sort of a camera bug myself, so I agreed without a moment's hesitation! I imagine we must have shot about a couple of rolls of film on each of us!
Soon it was time for her to leave and I asked her to be sure and let me see how the pictures turned out. "Oh, you'll see them," she told me. And at that time I didn't know how right she was!
I WAS STUNNED
It was about a week later that Paul casually strolled into my bedroom with a handful of photographs. "Look, what someone's selling," he said quietly, and dropped them into my lap. I picked one up and looked in disbelief! It was one of the pictures Clara had taken of me that Sunday afternoon! I shuffled through the rest in dismay—they were all of me!
Paul shook his head and explained
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that a certain girl was selling the photos for a high price around her school. She must have made a fortune by now!
I was stunned! I had been let down again! She had just used me as a money-making device. But what really hurt was that her sincerity and friendliness had been a big put-on!
I stayed in my room for a while to think things over. How could I ever be sure if anyone liked me for myself? This had happened many times before with girls and even with some guys who I thought wanted to be my friend because they liked ME! I had trusted Clara and she had let me down. How many others would? Was there some way I could tell from the first meeting how sincere a person was?
This is where I thought you might be able to help. Perhaps you have some rules, or know some way of telling if a person really likes you for yourself. If you do, I'd love for you to send them to me c/o FaVE. Maybe with your help we can work this out together!
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