Memoirs of a Retired Fly Girl

Thunder in 1987

In the summer of 1987, I was helping out in my grandparents' small grocery store located in front of our house when I noticed a group of guys hanging out in front of the store laughing and just goofing around. I recognized two of them as my neighbors, two brothers Edward and Mickey. Edward was the same age as me and Mickey was about two years younger.

They had two other guy friends hanging out with them, a dark fellow with a nice smile named Marlon and a quiet but very attractive looking tall guy who kept smiling at me with his stolen glance. I was instantly attracted to this mysterious fellow and like any shy, demure teen, I pretended to ignore them and just went about my business helping in the store.

Suddenly, Edward came forward and said hello to me. I courteously replied hello back to my neighbor. He handed me a piece of ripped cardboard from a cigarette pack and motioned that his friend wanted to give it to me. I glanced at the scribbled writing and read the following..."I like you. -->Alex".

After reading this short but smooth line, I felt myself blushing and starting to panic because they were all watching my reaction. I quickly ran to the back of the store and tried to wipe the huge grin on my face while reading the note at least another ninety-nine times. I took a pen behind the cash register and wrote beneath the written note from Alex..."I like you too -->Michelle".

I handed the note back to Edward and told him to give it back to Alex. Edward replied "Oh you mean Thunder"...I looked at him with a puzzled expression and replied "No, give it to the guy who gave me that note". Edward laughed and explained that they don't ever use the name Alex because he prefers to be called "Thunder" and only known to his close friends as Thunder, synonymous to his first name Alexander. I thought it was bizarre but was intrigued that I was being pursued by a guy named Thunder!

It was the start of my first love.