It’s been a few days since I last posted and I was politely reminded of that little fact earlier tonight when I happened to be on the phone with another blogger and someone I’ll call SOS. Thanks for the reminder to get off my lazy ass and post – you know who you are.
Now that I’m here, I think it might be prudent for me to let you all know that I haven’t gone off my rocker. Not yet anyways. What do I mean? I know I’ve been writing some things as of late that probably make no sense to anyone reading it, but to me it makes all the sense in the world and in a way, I’m baring my soul here, letting down some walls that have been protecting me and allowing myself to become more vulnerable. That’s a big step for me – who likes to be vulnerable? No one I would imagine. And in all honesty, if you knew everything about me all the “weird” stuff I’ve been writing about lately would make perfect sense to you. Maybe I’ll share more about that another time, maybe not. That’s not the point right now. The important thing to note here is that I’m willing & allowing to let you inside me – inside my mind and heart. I don’t take that lightly and I hope that since I’m sharing a side of my personality that until now you guys haven’t seen that you’ll be gentle with me. This doesn’t mean that every time I write now it will be some weird off the wall stuff that you guys can’t make heads or tails out of – it just means that you’ll be seeing a more complete me. Hopefully, that’s ok.
On to other things. The other night I happened to be at a basketball game and the game was less than stellar so rather than paying much attention to it I found myself people watching. I’ve always enjoyed being an observer and this night was no different. On the bleachers below me I found myself watching a little boy and girl. At first, I thought they were probably siblings or cousins – they seemed to know each other pretty well and were playing together. But I’ll tell you, as the minutes ticked on throughout the game, I quickly realized that they weren’t related — they had to be boyfriend and girlfriend.
To watch them was pretty funny and they were much more entertaining than the game. He, in his red plaid shirt, blue jeans, and cowboy boots and her, in her little white Aeropostle shirt, blue slicky running pants, and tennis shoes. He had a little military buzz cut for a hair style and hers was sort of like Dakota Fanning’s. Together they played on the bleachers, sitting beside each other, & climbing over a railing that was there. She would climb on top and straddle it and say “giddyup horsey” and he would watch her and smile. (Get your minds out of the gutter people, these were kids!) He would watch her, tell her not to fall, and then ask her to get down and come play. He would try to entice her with his SpongeBob Squarepants electronic game and usually it worked. And as many girls do, she would play dumb and act as if she didn’t know how to play the game and he loved it – he would take it and show her what to do and how to win — then they would giggle and smile at other. She would touch his knee. He would bend over and tie her shoes. They were too cute. The longer I watched the more obvious they were with their liking each other. At one point, she layed down on the bleacher and he was sitting on the row in front of her turned around looking and talking to her. Something happened on the court and the crowd became a little loud and they couldn’t hear each other so he cleverly leaned over her to talk —- I found myself smiling when she placed her litte hands on each of his cheeks pulling him closer. He seemed to like that and was giggling again. Then she let go and placed her hands up above her head on the bleachers. She looked so relaxed and comfortable there — so cute. The next thing I knew, he had pulled the top part of her pants down just enough to expose her pink panties – and with his index finger he tapped her on top of them and smiled from ear to ear while saying, “I see your panties”. She did nothing to make him stop but just grinned and confirmed the color. It went on and on — from one thing to another — I couldn’t believe the amount of attention they were pouring onto each other, nor could I believe that his mom was sitting right beside them oblivious to their shenanigans.
I had never witnessed kids this age act like this and I suppose that’s why I kept watching them and I also suppose that’s why I began to wonder at what age was it that I began to run around with the little boys and play. Soon I was daydreaming back to my childhood, remembering the crush I had on Jim and how we used flirt – probably very similar to this little boy and girl. Jim was every little girl’s heart throb. He was cute, he played ball, and did I mention he was cute? (Still is to this day — yowsers!)
Jim and I grew up together and we went to the same church and after every service we were always together, somewhere, flirting and exploring. He was my first crush and I was his. He was the first boy to write me love letters and the first boy to hold my hand. He was the first boy I really liked and the first boy I ever kissed. To this day, I still have the letters he used to write me. For many years, those little notes disappeared, only to be found after my father died and we were going through his things. My dad had found the notes and had gotten so much joy out of reading the little things Jim would write to me, that he kept them. I was glad I found them after my dad died – I’m not sure why, but I am. If Dad knew all the little things we did together he probably would have burned those letters! Afterall, I was his little girl. For some reason, my dad always thought that Jim and I would end up together.
How could he not have thought that? We were childhood sweethearts, we were forever hiding somewhere in the church – playing – we were always together. And it didn’t stop as children — into our adolescent years we were often up in the bell tower – um – ringing some bells – and other times we were up in the organ room – um – playing our own tune. And then there was the time in Pigeon Forge Tennessee on a church ski trip where everyone was looking for us because we had disappeared to – um – check out the cars in the parking garage around 11:30 that night! haha And then on that same ski trip there was the time that we snuck off to ride the chair lift to another part of the mountain to – umm – catch a scenic romantic view…… Or the time in the janitor’s closet at the social hall in the dark when we were suppose to be asleep in the other room with everyone else. And there are tons more of the same type happenings. Gosh — so many memories that I haven’t thought about in years.
The little boy and girl from the other night reminded me of all these childhood and adolescent memories. They made me wonder just how old I was when I became interested in boys. Initially, while I was watching them, I remember thinking that they were just so little to be going on like they were —- but now that I’ve gone down memory lane, they are the same age I was when Jim and I began our foolishness. A mere 6 & 7 years old.
I’m not with Jim today and won’t be. Dad’s intuition wasn’t quite right on this one. Jim is now married with 2 children and still playing ball like he used to. Every once in a while we’ll see each other out and about and when we do there’s always a little something special there. I guess there always will be. He knows it, as do I and together we’ll always share those childhood memories. I wonder if the little boy and girl from the game will carry on like Jim and I did and I wonder if they will remember all the fun they had at that game 25 years later. They were definitely making some childhood memories.
What is your earliest childhood memory of a boyfriend or girlfriend? What were your antics and how often did you get to play and see them? Ever see them today? And do you ever feel some sort of kindred happy spirit when you do?
