My First Crush

Today I am challenged by NaBloPoMo to write about my first crush.

     While I was growing up I had endless crushes at one time or another.  The one that stands out in my mind was a boy that crossed my path when I was in 5th grade.  He was in the 6th grade and in my language arts class.  Since I was in the accelerated class for language arts I took my tote filled with my books and school supplies to his 6th grade classroom when it was time to have English, Spelling, and Reading.

      It didn’t take me long to notice him and once I did, I couldn’t take my eyes off of him.  I couldn’t stop smiling at him like a silly fool.  I couldn’t help myself for developing a love for the merry go round and playing there every single recess because he did also.  I never got much past saying hi to him and blushing beet red.  Occasionally we would say more to each other, but most of the time I simply turned red and he smiled at my embarrassment and went on with life.

       Back in elementary school roller skating parties were looked forward to.  Everyone who was anyone went to them and I made sure to always go and meet my friends there.  It didn’t matter that I couldn’t skate very well.  It was the height of social season in elementary school  and I went.  I couldn’t make both feet go.  I could only push with one and propel myself around the rink.  I couldn’t stop unless I ran into a wall or someone else.  I made no attempt at doing the hokey pokey on skates because merely moving without falling on my happy ass was a major accomplishment for me.  While everyone else rushed out on the floor to do the hokey pokey, I hurried off the floor to the seating area to wait the number out.

      To my complete shock Mr. Wonderful glided effortlessly into the seating area after me.  He rolled up to me and came to a perfect stop and smiled down at me.  “Would you consider skating with me during the moonlight skate?”  I looked up at him.  My mouth dropped open and my eyes bugged out of my head.  “Me?”  I stuttered.  My brain went into warp speed.  I mean does a bear shit in the woods.  “I would LOVE too!” I said without a moment’s hesitation.  I felt my face heat up and I am sure the smile I gave him could have lit the moon.  “Great!  I’ll see you then!”  With that, he skated away and I was left to stare in disbelief after him.

         Part of me thought I had dreamt this little rendezvous.  I mean what are the odds?  When the lights dimmed and the first bars of the Bee Gees “How Deep is Your Love” started to play I made my way to line up with the other girls along the wall for the moonlight skate.  Mr. Wonderful rolled up to me and held out his hand.  I looked into his eyes and took his hand and we glided out on the floor.  I remember feeling like I had soared to the moon.  I felt like Charlie Brown after he had kissed the little red haired girl in “its Your First Kiss, Charlie Brown.”   I was on cloud nine.  When the song ended, he squeezed my hand.  “Thank you for the skate.” he said.  I couldn’t find my voice and whispered “Oh, thank you!!”  He smiled again and skated away.  I melted, and then like any self respecting 11 year old I hand pumped the air and said “YES!”
 

          Before the last moonlight skate of the night he returned to me and explained that while he would like to skate with me again, he had promised someone else the last skate.  I nodded and watched him skate with a 6th grader.  It didn’t matter.  He had made my night.   We continued to be friends until he went off to junior high school the next year.  Shortly after that he moved away and I never saw or heard from him again.  I often wonder what ever happened to him.  All I know is that he blessed my life with a sweet memory until next time when I give you another glimpse into the life of a trucker’s
wife.