I had been walking Cindy to her classes and spending
whatever free time with her during the school day, and we had been labeled as
couple by our classmates. I was so
clueless, but I liked her and I ended up at her house on Halloween Night, just
days before my 15th birthday. Her
parents were gone and she was there with her older sister, who was a
senior.
I remember sitting on the sofa in the living room when the
big sister ceremoniously entered the room in a white costume dress with white gloves, turned
around in front of me, and asked me zip up the back, pleased at my girlfriend's
annoyance. There was some half-hearted bickering
as I was led away to a screened-in front porch area which also had a day bed. It was
getting dark and the trick-or-treaters would be showing up any minute, as would
my father, who I'm sure did not like the idea of his son loitering at a strange
girl's house.
I probably was standing there on the porch, looking
dumbfounded. I don't remember much else about that night
except for Cindy suddenly pushing me onto the bed and sitting on me. She laughed, probably at my confusion and
helplessness. I was way out of my
element. She leaned down and gave me a
long kiss, seeming very sincere.
I enjoyed it and didn't struggle to get away. Her larger physique was probably more formidable than my scrawny 14 year-old frame. I didn't struggle, but I was very
uncomfortable with the whole situation, nonetheless.
Cindy seemed to be much more at ease with the whole
situation and was smiling at me as she came in for another kiss. I will never forget being interrupted by the ever-so-recognizable
sound of my father's 1969 Ford Galaxie car horn, which instantly jolted me back into my
14-year old reality. I remember looking
out the porch window and seeing the big, bright yellow beast idling in front of
the house. Horrified, I said goodnight
and half-reluctantly, half-thankfully, ran down the steps to the safety of
dad's car, his eagle-eyes bearing down on me before I even climbed in.
He asked me what was going on, and I'm sure I offered little
detail. My heart was probably still
pounding as we drove away. I've thought
about this event so many times in my life.
What did my dad see? Did he
witness my first kiss ever? That would
be just my luck, but I will never know. It
was one of those things I wish I could have asked my dad, but he was not an
easy guy to talk to.
 |
| The '69 Galaxie I knew so well |
I don’t believe the young love affair lasted much longer. Cindy soon left our school and I never saw her again. Probably within the year, I learned that she had taken her own life, which has always baffled and bothered me. I wish I knew why and the circumstances around it, but I never heard another word about her. Although our romance was brief and awkward, the image of Cindy’s face is still crystal clear to me, even after 40 years. I'm sure it always will be.
