The poem reflects on a past relationship where the speaker recalls times they thought their partner would be angry with them or leave them, but the partner remained loving and supportive. This includes times when the speaker damaged the partner's car, didn't inform them a dance was formal so they came in jeans, and flirted with other boys to make the partner jealous. The speaker wanted to express their love and gratitude to the partner before they left for Vietnam but did not have the chance, as the partner did not return from the war.