This is the story of the first time I kissed a woman. I count this as my first kiss, because it was the first one that didn't disgust me, and the first one that I really wanted to participate in.
You'll need some background, so here goes. The summer between my sophomore and junior year in high school, I went to field hockey camp. This was a camp for serious field hockey players who wanted to improve and hone their skills. My high school was very competitive in this sport, and I was very competitive in everything. The camp was run at a nearby private college known for it's physical education program, and premier athletics department. Many of the women on the college's esteemed hockey team were instructors at the camp. I developed a huge crush on one of them we'll call Katie. Katie was going into her senior year, she was the captain of the team. She was athletically built, thin, blue eyes, blond hair, a gorgeous smile, and an English accent. What's not to love? I puppied around after her for the entire time, with a small crowd of others who also thought she totally rocked it.
I didn't know if she was gay. I knew I was, but I still hadn't met any one else I knew to be gay, so I had no gaydar. She tried to hint to me that she was, looking back, but I was too new to it all to add any of it up. The night before our last day, I stayed awake writing her a letter. One that I did not want to be around when she read. One that told her how I felt, bared my soul, exposed me, to her and everyone she might choose to share it with. I slid it under her door that morning, before she got up and out.
Later, the usual groupies and I were all in her room while she packed up her stuff, all hoping to steal a private moment, or make some kind of impression that would separate us from the pack. I had no way of knowing whether she'd read the letter yet or not. I figured she had, and was doing the prudent thing, pretending it never happened. Then she told everyone to get out, she needed to go, and we all started filing out the door. "Not you." She stopped me, and shut the door. My heart began to race, she's pissed...why did I do it...why? I should've waited until the last minute to give that to her... I'm so stupid.
"Nice letter" she said with a warm smile. "Here, I'm going to give you my address so you can write to me, I hope you can come to some games too."
I was stunned. I couldn't speak, I just smiled at her, she hugged me, and I somehow made it to my stuff and to my parent's car, and then home.
No, the kiss didn't happen yet, I'm getting to that.
So, I wrote to her, and much to surprise she wrote back, quickly. I thought for sure a beautiful woman like her, with all she has going on would take weeks to reply, but again she surprised me.
Finally, I arranged to go see her play. It was Columbus Day. I borrowed my parent's car, and drove to the college. It was about a twenty five minute drive. When I arrived, I found Katie right away to say hello. She asked me if I could give her a ride to her apartment really quick, she'd forgotten something she needed for the game. Of course I was more than happy to oblige. I met one of her roommates, and we headed back to the field.
One of the other girls from the field hockey camp was in the stands, and when she heard me cheering for Katie, she asked me, "So...you know Katie?"
"Yes" I replied importantly. "I saw her this weekend out at The Arbor" she volunteered. I was still trying to find out if she was gay, so I nonchalantly replied, "Was she with a boyfriend?"
"A boyfriend?!!" the girl blurted out laughing at my ignorance, "No, she wasn't with a boyfriend." she somehow managed while still snickering.
Of course The Arbor was a lesbian bar, but I didn't know. I didn't even know such places existed! I was only 16! After the game, Katie came directly over to me, and asked if I wanted to go out with a bunch of them for a beer, then asked "How old are you?" "I'm seventeen...and a half", I lied. The drinking age was eighteen back then, and they weren't much into carding, so that seemed fine, and off to the neighborhood dive we went. It was a little haunt with a juke box, it was not a lesbian bar, or gay bar, just a bar, the first bar I'd ever been in, but I wasn't about to share that information. I pretended I went to bars all the time, and drank beer quite frequently. I didn't. After a couple or a few beers, I realized the time, and said, "I need to call my parents!" They'll be worried. I intended to tell them the game went into overtime, and then I was visiting with my friends, and I'd be home soon. Katie got in the car with me and directed me back to the school to use a phone booth. They had no phone in their apartment. When I got there, a cop car parked behind me, and the officer called out to me, "Are you Red Mojo?" "Yes" I said sheepishly. "Your parents are looking for you!" he informed me.
"I know officer, I'm calling them right now."I managed, afraid they'd see I'd been drinking and arrest me. "I talked to them about half and hour ago, and I saw the lights on the field, so I told them the game was still going on." one of them said. That was helpful.
I placed the call, and my Dad was concerned I might get lost on my way home, so he was giving me directions over the phone, and wanted me to repeat them back to him. I was too drunk to do this, so I kept getting it wrong after the 4th or 5th turn. The cops heard what was happening and they asked, "Do you know how to get home once you're on the freeway?"
"Yes." I answered confidently. "Then we'll give you an escort." they said. The pressure of all of this was threatening to just cave my head in, but I pulled it together, told Dad the police were going to take me to the freeway, and then I told the police, that before that happened, I needed to take Katie home. They were fine with that, so I took her to her place, with them behind me, I pulled up in front, and after a whole night of flirting, drinking, smiling, and gazing into each other's eyes, it would end like this.
"Aren't you going to walk me to my door?" she asked. "Yes" I eagerly replied. We hopped out and walked around to the back of the building. We hugged and I gave her a peck on the cheek. When I began to pull away she closed her eyes, tilted her head a little and opened her mouth just a little. Oh my God! She wants me to kiss her! I went in. It was like heaven. I don't know how long we kissed before I was awakened from this bliss by a honking horn. Holy crap! The cops! We said goodbye, I ran to the car, followed the cops to the freeway and drove home wondering why on earth I felt all weird and wet between my legs. A crazy and wonderful night of firsts!
this post is dedicated to cj
