I sometimes wonder what
happened to Susan,
the girl on the porch,
my first kiss.
I was almost 19.
She was beautiful, or so I thought,
Well, she really was beautiful.
And I was almost 19.
She waited for me, and waited.
It was uncomfortable.
I was afraid of being pushed away.
"Well," she said. "Am I going to get
my kiss or not?"
She was smiling.
"I've never kissed anyone before," I said.
"I can't believe that," she said.
"I can't believe it either,
but it's true," I told her.
We did a little dance and
then she came close and we kissed.
Well, she kissed me really.
Not all that much of a kiss,
but it counted.
I left for college a week later.
A few weeks later she sent me
a "Dear John" letter.
It arrived on my birthday.
I never saw her again.
At 19 that was my first big romance.
I've never had another half so sweet.
