| abstract | - Tonight was a very special night. It was Saturday night, and I was finally going to see my girl. Her name was Annabelle, but I called her Annie. It had been a while since I saw her last, and I wanted to let her know I still cared. She hadn't had many visitors lately, but I just assumed everyone was busy with school and jobs. After all, everyone else had their own lives. I had no life outside of Annie, she was my everything. I combed my hair and put on my black leather jacket, the one with the studs. That jacket was made out of pure love. I saved up all my spare change to purchase the studs and carefully put them on one at a time, staying up all night just to make sure they were perfect. I can't even count how many hours I spent on that jacket. It took months to complete, but it was worth it when it was done. It was my favorite jacket, but Annie liked it more. I was planning to give it to her as a gift that night. It was winter, and she didn't have a coat. She spent a lot of time outside, and she needed it more than I did. I walked through town with my hands in my pockets. It was especially cold tonight, even for late February. The cold wind chilled me to my core, and my feet ached from the cold. The holes in my shoes didn't help, nor did the patches on my torn jeans. Still, I was going to see Annie and that was all that mattered. As I made my way through town, I passed the local drive-in. I slowed down and stared longingly at the couples in their cars, enjoying a cheesy horror movie and substandard food. It tore my heart in two. I missed Annie so much. I remembered the last time I saw her. We had a blast that night. We had gone to the drive-in to see a movie, which was a very special occasion since neither of us had a car. I did odd jobs for my grandfather for weeks to earn that car for one night, he chipped in for the tickets out of kindness. It was a white 1970's Cadillac convertible. It was a beautiful car, but not as beautiful as Annie. After the movie, we went cruising. There was little else to do in this town. When the date was through, I took her home, walked her to her doorstep, and gave her a kiss good night. I wanted to tell her something, but I was too nervous. I talked too fast and stumbled over my words, making a fool of myself. I forgot to say something important that night. A single tear escaped my eye, turning ice cold in an instant as it glided down my cheek. While everyone else was out enjoying their Saturday night, I was crying alone. Soon, I would see Annie though, and everything would be okay. I looked away forlornly as I walked past her house. I knew she wasn't home. The lights were off and the shades were drawn tight, there wasn't a sign of life in that house. It had been that way for quite some time now. I continued down the street towards our favorite meeting place. I sighed and pushed my hands deeper into my pockets as I stood in front of the tall, ornate gate. Normally, the cemetery gates were locked this time of night, but the caretaker must have forgotten tonight. It was the weekend after all, maybe he had a date with his wife or something. I pushed the heavy gate open and stepped inside. The snow crunched under my feet as I made my way towards the headstone. This was where she said to meet me. I sat down in the snow and waited for Annie to arrive. It was freezing, but I didn't care. She would be here soon and that's all that mattered. After what seemed like hours, I decided to lie down. I didn't see any harm in it, Annie would be there soon. The air gradually grew colder, and the snow began to fall harder. I could see my breath as I exhaled, it looked like fragile, intricate lace. I closed my eyes, letting the snowflakes catch on my eyelashes. Slowly, a peaceful sense of warmth and comfort came over me. Just before I drifted off to sleep, I took off my leather jacket and draped it over the tombstone. It was cold, Annie was going to need it when she got here. "Mikey, what the hell are you doing?!" a familiar, shrill yet sweet voice asked. "Annie, is that you?" I asked, waking from a deep slumber. I had no idea how long I'd been out, but it was much warmer outside now. I stood up slowly, rubbing my eyes. There was still snow on the ground. "Of course it's me!" Annie looked even more beautiful as the last time I saw her. Her golden curls were just as wild as ever, but her dark makeup was no longer smeared from crying, and there were no more cuts or bruises on her pale skin. She wore only a short black dress and torn stockings, but she didn't seem bothered by the cold. "Why aren't you wearing your jacket?" Annie asked, "It's cold tonight." "I wanted to give it to you, I know how much you liked it," I said, smiling proudly. Annie glanced at the ground below, and then at me. She shook her head, and a glint of sadness flashed briefly in her emerald green eyes. "Oh no, Mikey..." she said sadly, turning her head away quickly. She looked as if she had seen a ghost. "What's wrong?" I asked. "Nothing." She smiled, taking my hand. "Let's go." I draped my jacket over her shoulders and we walked hand in hand towards the cemetery gate. Two headlights glowed in the near distance, shining through the snow and fog. A white Cadillac waited outside, gleaming in the moonlight like a pearl. The engine purred like a kitten and the smoke from the exhaust puffed softly into the midnight air. "Where did you get that?" I asked in awe, running my hand along the smooth, cold metal. It was similar to my grandfather's car, but nicer and more luxurious. The interior was made of ruby red leather, and the way it shone in the moonlight was like nothing I had ever seen before. "Don't worry about it," Annie said, tossing me the keys. I opened the passenger door for her. I stood there for a moment, taking in Annie and the beautiful car. It was truly a breathtaking sight. "Come on, let's go!" Annie said smiling, "It's Saturday night, and we have a date." I took my seat behind the wheel and accelerated into the night, accidentally screeching the tires. I cursed, and Annie laughed. It was just like the old times. Everything was perfect. Every Saturday night would be like this from now on; it was our night. Time seemed to stop for us, we would never grow old. We were finally together, and nothing could stop us now. Rest In Peace Annabelle Marie Day July 7, 1962 - January 17, 1979 Michael Matthews April 20, 1961 - February 27, 1979 A young man's body, later identified as Michael Matthews was found deceased in the town cemetery, on the grave of his recently deceased girlfriend, Annabelle Marie Day, who perished in a car accident over a month prior. He appeared to have frozen to death. Despite the freezing temperatures, he wasn't wearing a coat. There were no coats or jackets found anywhere at the scene.
- Saturday Night is a song recorded by the Scottish pop rock band Bay City Rollers. It was written and produced by Bill Martin and Phil Coulter. The tune is an upbeat pop rock number with a memorable hook: the word "Saturday" spelled out in a rhythmic chant. The song was sung by Martin in "Love, Springfieldian Style".
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