Girl on the Porch

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.