The First Boy: 19

I'm not sure why I've been reflecting on relationships of days gone by lately, but I'm sure these stories are welcome entertainment for all of you.

When I was a wee lass of almost 19, I went on a late-June trip to North Carolina to visit a dear friend's boyfriend and some of his friends on a military base. Long story, long story, I had my first kiss. We'll call him the Marine (because he was).

I returned home to Ohio wondering what had happened and if this meant I had to date the guy now because he kissed me. I didn't know he was going to kiss me - it was kind of a sneak attack - a stolen kiss I didn't know how to avoid. Young and stupid folks, young and stupid.
He would call me before work, during work, right after work, and right after my evening rehearsals. Ok, dude, glad you like me, but w-o-w - knock it off!

These same friends and I went to Washington, D.C. for the 4th of July weekend and those military boys met us there. Kissing was a new adventure for me and I didn't know what else to do, so I enjoyed myself kissing him (seriously, who doesn't like kissing?!) ...mainly because talking to him was so horrible and awkward.

After this trip, I called him and had a conversation with him saying things weren't going to work. I've tried to block most of these memories, however, I cannot block the fact that I had to tell him for an hour straight all the reasons why I knew a relationship of any kind with him would not work. I was traumatized! Almost nineteen and I had never dated anyone, let alone had to break someone's heart. I cried the entire conversation. Although I was pretty darned blunt, rude, and honest about all of the reasons he and I could not be together and those may have been tears of relief, truth be told.

After an hour of my abuse, he responded, "If you don't want to be with me, then why are you crying?"

Seriously?!?! No offense, but that's another reason right there - IDIOT!

Then let's flash forward to a few years later when I found out he had fulfilled his commitment to the military, his new job was loading beer trucks, and he had fathered a child he never met. Yeah....