At Last True Love

I finally realized standing before me was the girl of my dreams.

Chapter Seven

At Last True Love

Christmas 1967; it’s been six months since Carli and I had made our pact. We still tormented one another, but never in a mean or hurtful way. We always laughed about it later.

 My parents bought me a new VW Fastback with fuel injection. It had 68 powerful horses under the trunk. Carli made me promise I would save the first ride for her. I agreed with one exception; my sister.  Taking her places was an obligation I could not get out of.

 I kept my promise and on New Year’s Eve 1967 I took Carli on the first, of what would later become many; rides in my car. We met at a party given by one of my sister’s friends.

 “Hey Grubby,” she says. “You promised me a ride in your car.”

 “Yes I did,” I commented. “Is now a good time?”

 I looked around. Several kids were playing Twister. I was worried Carli and I might get stuck in a game playing against each other. I don’t think I would have felt too comfortable about that, not just yet anyway. A car ride, however, seemed appropriate at the time.

 “Sure,” she squealed, and we were off.

 Something funny happened during that time, we were having fun; lots of fun. We laughed and talked so much my tongue nearly fell off. At one point I became so distracted I ran a red light.  Fortunately, no one else was around.

 We ended up at Dallas’ Love Field watching big jets take off and land. We looked at the strange people getting on and off the planes and wondered where they were going, or where they were headed.

 “Look,” Carli giggled. “I think the man in the trench coat might be a Soviet spy. Look how his attaché case is chained to his wrist.”

 We looked at each other and laughed.

  A few moments before midnight we stood side by side in the middle of a wide open space near the entrance of the airport.  Looking around in relief, I saw no signs of mistletoe.

 “Good,” I thought. “Now I won’t feel any obligation to kiss her.”

  The clock struck midnight and couples all around grabbed each other and kissed.

 I turned and looked at her; she was the most beautiful girl I had ever seen. It was then I realized the girl standing before me was the perfect girl. How had it taken me so long to see this?

 “Lucky you,” she laughed. “No mistletoe. Guess you don’t have to kiss me. Next time you won’t be so lucky.”

 She was right. A month later we went on our first date, the school’s annual Favorites Ball. Walking to her doorway I pulled her to me and kissed her for the first time. Her right hand got hung up inside her coat pocket. She jerked around trying to free it but couldn’t.  I backed away and laughed, “What are you doing?”

 She explained, giggling, “My hand got stuck.”

  It’s been forty five years since then. I drive by the old place from time to time. The house has changed a lot, but the sidewalk leading to the front door is still the same. I can still point to the exact spot where my life changed forever.

Later she told me why she had given up her dreams of becoming a nun.

 “When I first saw you,” she said. “I told myself I was going to marry you someday.”

 She almost did.

In a person’s life there is only one first true love. I wonder where she is today.

 

THE END

Author's Note

A bitter sweet ending to a semi-autobiographical story. Hope you enjoy.

Reviews

[Marie]

This iis very good, and I did ehjoy it.

It makes me wonder where my own firt true love is...?