I was standing in line at a Texas Interational ticket counter at DFW. My evening flight to Houston was cancelled. All I could do was get hotel and meal vouchers and rebook an early flight the next morning.
With nothing better to do I looked around the ticket counter area. Five people behind me I saw her. It was Francine Dru. We were high school classmates. Our junior year we had Chemistry together.
We were friendly, but not friends. She was 5' 10" with big boobs, straight shoulder length black hair and a pleasant face, but she was heavy. Not fat, not obese, but big framed and thick waisted. She looked like Delta Burke sans her skinny period with piercing blue eyes. She told us she was related to Joanne Dru the actress, but their builds were not similar. Us guys called her Fanny Dru behind her back. I was 6' and obsessed with being trim, so there was no attraction.
In April our junior year she let it be known through the grapevine she wanted me to ask her to prom. I had already asked a cute blonde to prom when I heard that. A buddy asked her to prom, but she turned him down.
Fanny was a talented pianist. She accompanied girls choirs all through high school.
In college I went to school out of town. She attended a local university. Fanny was a piano performance major, which that university was known for.
I presume she did not have much of a high school dating life. She did not attend prom nor have a known boyfriend. But in college she tried to play catchup. Too much the wrong way.
Fanny joined a good sorority. But that blew apart her sophomore year when she pulled train on a fraternity pool table. Her sorority immediately expelled her. I hear she was rarely seen on campus or otherwise the remainder of the semester.
She transferred to Oklahoma City University (OCU) the next semester. OCU had an excellent piano performance program. So, if you did not know anything about her sexual activity at the fraternity house you would not have though anything about her transferring.
We made eye contact. We smiled at each other. Fanny waved. After I got my vouchers and flight ticket I stopped by to chat.
"Hi Francine."
"Hi Matt."
"Do you get bumped off the Houston flight?"
"I did."
"Did they book you at the Marriott."
"Yes they did."
"When you get done here let's go to the Marriott and dine together."
"Great idea. We've got some catching up to do."
"I'll wait for you at the shuttle stop."
"Ok. See you there."
We got on the shuttle, checked into the hotel and agreed to meet in the lobby for dinner.
Fanny was in the lobby first. She had not changed clothes. She remained clad in her sharp looking dark blue blazer and skirt combo with a big bow tie white blouse, very fashionable in those days. I left my coat and necktie in my room.
The conversation during dinner was good. Fanny transferred to OCU for her piano performance degree.
Upon graduating she realized you could make more money selling pianos than playing them. She was on her way to a national sales meeting in Houston when our flight was cancelled.
We exchanged business cards. Her mood was upbeat. She smiled a lot. We ate and drank for an hour and a half until our vouchers were used up.
I was ready to call it a night. But Fanny suggested I come up to her room for a nightcap. She was into bourbon and brought a bottle on the trip. I agreed.
We took an elevator to her floor. Her room was across the hall from the elevator.
Opening the door, I headed to the writing desk next to the television. She pulled out an unopened bottle of bourbon from her suitcase.
"This is my favorite, Basil Hayden's Kentucky Bourbon. Have a seat I'll get us two glasses."
I sat down on a chair in the corner, next to the writing desk.
Fanny poured us 4 ounces of Basil Hayden. She sat on the bed.
While drinking the bourbon she explained the characteristics of Basil Hayden.
I knew nothing about bourbon. I was a beer guy. But it sounded like she knew her stuff.
By the time she finished her spiel on bourbon our glasses were empty.
Fanny said "Why don't you refill our glasses. I'm going to change into something more comfortable." She headed to the bathroom.
