Calvin Ross: Nancy on My Mind

Calvin and Nancy Ross

From the title of this story, you may realize the slant reference to Ray Charles’ hit song “Georgia on My Mind” Here’s the story about how that genius musician played a role for Nancy and me from the beginning of our relationship.

In the fall of 1962 Nancy entered Milligan University as a freshman. We had assigned chapel seats near each other. I sent a note to one of my buddies, “Who’s the chick in the purple sweater?” He sent a note back, “Nancy Smith….” Now I could spring into action!  I decided to ask her for a date to see Ray Charles’ upcoming concert at East Tennessee State University.

My plan was to wait in the hallway outside the chapel for her to come out. When she did, I said, “Nancy? Are you Nancy?”

She said, “Yes.”

I said, “Would you like to go with me to see a Ray Charles’ concert?”

She said, “Yes.”

Get this — she said “Yes” without even knowing my name! She had noticed me around campus but that was about it. From a description of me to her friends, she thought I was another guy who resembled me. When I picked her up for the date, she asked, “Are you Wayne?” A bit chagrined, I said, “No. Calvin.”

After Charles’ performance, she held my arm walking down the steep front steps at ETSU’s Brooke’s Gym where the concert had been held. To this day, whenever she takes my arm, she says she thinks of that moment down the steps when her heart went pitter-patter.

Now, fast forward 40 years or so later. Our three kids had left for college and their careers. Nancy’s a professor at Milligan. I saw a notice that Ray Charles was coming for a concert in nearby Knoxville. So, aha! I devised a second plan for a Ray Charles date.

I secretly arranged with one of her colleagues to set up a pretense for getting Nancy into the Milligan Chapel and to exit at an exact place and time. At that precise moment, when she exited the chapel, to her surprise, I was standing there on the same spot where I had stood 40 years earlier. Her colleague slipped away to leave us alone.

I said, “Nancy? Are you Nancy?” I couldn’t hide some emotion. She didn’t respond immediately because she thought I might be having a stroke!

I said, “Would you like to go with me to see a Ray Charles’ concert?”

Then she put it all together. I got another “Yes” and a big hug. For this concert, though, we got a hotel room afterward.