The Summer Of 1993

My World Changed

"I think you need to date Peter Roebel. He is so nice and you are nice.... Hey, how about Steve Sorbot, he seems really sweet? I think Aaron Barry is PERFECT for you." I bet my sisters would DIE when I came back in the fall and was dating someone who wasn't ugly, a freak, or a creep. For some reason, they delighted in setting me up with total creeps. My mom said it was because I was pretty and they delighted in things like that. Maybe she was right. When I got to Johnny's no one was there and I thought, "he is going to stand me up tonight." She began her work. There was a note. "See you this evening." I smiled. I cleaned his place and waited for the van. The day seemed to crawl. Marsha was having her do so many things. Dusting Knick knacks and folding her clothes. I think she was lonely.

"What are you going to do this weekend?"
"I have a date."
"About time."
"It's with someone pretty famous. I feel weird about it."
"Don't. You're lovely."
"My sorority sisters try to fix me up with creeps and ugly guys."
"The only reason they do that is because you are nice. You let them. Also, to feel better about themselves. Pay no mind to them."

Maybe there was some truth in that.

I got in the van, rode home, got in the shower, and got ready like it was prom night. Something told me my life was never going to be the same after tonight.

    "You look pretty," Jamie's aunt said. 
"Totally gorgeous.   Johnny mentioned it to River, says you're cute."  
"Seriously."

    She hung out with River, Samantha, and Joaquin, and they were hanging out.   She was a little younger than me, born in 1972, Christmas Eve in fact.... 

   Johnny was a little later, but he picked me up in a very loud Nova.   "Don't wait up for me,". I told her.  He put his hand on my back, got her car door for me , and got in the car.  They were off.  It was a cool, breezy night.  He touched my knee a few times.   I looked at him and he was beautiful.  The way his hair was in his face, in his beautiful  brown eyes, and those lips that would soon be everywhere on me. 

   "Are you hungry?"  He asked me.  I nodded.   We pulled off at a classic, seventies style diner and had supper.   We had a burger and fries where we talked until about ten.   I talked of law school and how that was "sort of" my passion.  "See,  my parents picked out things for me to do."  He looked at me and said, "Don't you want to do right for you, sweetheart?" I didn't want to be a lawyer.  It was expected.   "Expected, is a way of life in our home.  We do what our parents expect us to do,   I could 't be a cheerleader or do things he popular girls did because they expected me to be in the orchestra," I told him.  He said, "Well, cheerleaders are snobs anyway."   He looked at me.   It would be the first of those looks.  Johnny would give me a BIG unexpected, my law career crushing expectation.    

   We finished and we drove around.  "Dammit, one of my favorite stores is closed, do you know want that means?"  He asked.
"I have no clue."
"I have to take you out tomorrow afternoon." 
"I'd like that."

   He paused.   He parked the car and he leaned in and kissed me.  His lips were soft, and for a smoker his breath wasn't that bad,   He was soft, and gentle, but then he parted my lips and his tongue entered my mouth.  One thing Amir taught me was how to kiss and I greeted his tongue as it entered my mouth.  ""You're a good kisser," he said.  I thanked him.   He kissed me some more and his hands roamed a little.   He wasn't forward.  He was gentle and sweet.   "I want to take this slow, as I am very interested," he told me.   I almost peed my pants.  We spent the rest of the evening in his car kissing.   He did grab my boobs a few times, but that was to be expected.  They were there.  

    I walked to my house and into my room in a daze.  It was 3:45.   I barely slept and he was coming by at noon to take me to Tower Records.