HE CROSSED THE LINE

Danny, who provided the first kiss, also became my first steady. We went together from that first kiss at 10 till I was 12 years old. I say "steady" but that is not entirely true. When you go steady you are supposed to be exclusive and true to one person. I was a rabid cheat in those days. Since we went to different schools, I had another life all together during school hours. In my defense however those school romances never got beyond a little sweaty hand holding during instructional movies.


I couldn't help it. As I had mentioned before, during that time period, I really peaked in popularity. Somehow I knew to take advantage of the situation for it was to be the only time in my life that I had a wealth of males in pursuit. You got to take it when it is offered. As I also previously mentioned, when puberty arrived, I was pretty much left behind. Basically nothing developed so I really slid down the old popularity pole to about average. But this is about the good times.


That first kiss escalated into nightly make out sessions. I had my pony now and our garage had been converted partially into a stall for Trigger. So Danny and I told my parents we were going out to the garage to be with my pony. Knowing how horse crazy I was, this was never questioned. So we sat on an old car seat and practiced our craft.


Danny was my age but much more experienced. He really knew how to kiss. Now you have to remember this was in the late forties, so nothing advanced took place. We were pretty naive and innocent. Our movies were westerns where no one kissed much less anything else. We had no TV and the nightly movies shown in the park for free were mostly Abbott and Costello. No romance there. We really had only our parents for models as how to kiss and for me, I never saw much over the obligatory peck.


Danny and I had a few spats that ended in temporary break ups. As I had a cute little fellow, Tony always waiting for us to split, the break ups were brief. Danny didn't like me seeing anyone else. Fortunately he did not know about my school shenanigans.


Then one evening, Danny did something I could not forgive. We were making out to my pony's amusement and as usual Danny would try new stuff. We would stand up, he would dip me over his knee like we were dancing,then kiss me What was a bit strange was that each kiss seemed choreographed. I was to face this way, bend that way, turn sideways, face the closed garage doors, or face my pony. I figured he was just getting bored so I played along.

Suddenly out by the garbage cans which were right outside the garage doors, I heard a racket and a very soft "Oh sh*t."

I went quickly to the door dragging Danny who was trying to stop me. When I opened the door, there stood Peewee, Bubba,Spider, Pedro, Sammy and Petey, all of Danny's posse, looking like they wished they could die. Peewee aptly named, was the smallest and the most scared. Just looking at a water board would make him crack.

"It's OK, we paid." he blurted instantly. "Danny knows we were here. Honest,we paid."

"What did you pay?" I asked.

"We each paid Danny a quarter to watch." Peewee finked.

Then it dawned on me. They had been peeping through knot holes and cracks in the door. I had been put on display by my boyfriend and he actually got money while we put on a show. The posing now made sense. Those little fellows were observing beginner porn.

Though we had done nothing but make out, I really felt dirty. I ordered the whole motley crew off my property. Danny tried to stay and explain but I turned on my heels in my very best Scarlett O'Hara and left him with mouth hanging open. He had crossed a line I didn't know I had drawn.


Because that episode, which I find funny today, wasn't funny then and I had my first serious "break up." We never got back together but I would think of Danny a lot through out my life. Any time a guy remarked that I was a good kisser, I gave Danny and our practice sessions full credit. Thanks Danny.