60 FIRST KISS Part 3

         In case that last train of thought, concerning my having become an enigmatic stranger to myself  aroused twinges of anxiety, you may find FIRST KISS intriguingly relieving in this way:  This story is about to reveal the primary reason why I developed a compelling need to know both sides of myself in depth.

         At this time, the curtain is poised to rise on a one-act play, which will allow you to see how:

  Insecure reactions had, repeatedly, shot me in the head.

If you’ll play Watson to my Holmes, we’ll claim front row seats in order to gather clues, concerning classic problems, which develop when love casts it’s magic spell over insecurities, buried within a boy and a girl.  The leads in this cast of two are named Annie and Joseph.

         Now that this budding romance, entitled FIRST KISS, is about to begin, the lights dim and a hush falls over the audience as a spotlight highlights a tall, handsome, twelve year old boy, entering stage left.  As the curtain goes up behind the boy, it becomes apparent that he's strolling leisurely ‘down an alley’, whistling away at a top forties tune, his dog straining at its leash, sniffing here and there for a place to do his ... okay, you get the picture.

         As the pair make their way across the stage (down this particular alley) it’s quite likely that this tall, good looking boy with the Elvis sideburns and swagger has no clue, that each time he walks along the backside of a certain red brick, two-story house, a twelve-year old girl is listening for his whistle.  And while Joseph and King amble past the flower beds and lilac bushes, bordering her yard, the first waft of a whistle causes the girl's antennae to alert her legs to race to the window, where she peers out, longing to catching a fleeting glance of this dream boat, whom she’s been crushing on—from afar—because—well—her self-confidence with guys had been left to rust on a bus, where a gang of bullies sullied her self esteem, some time earlier that year.

         So if you wonder how this pre-teen romance finally gets its chance to heat up, well, one day, the blue eyed, brunette, musters up a serge of courage at the same time that her big, strong heart-throb whistles by.  And leaving the safe haven of her window behind, she flies out of her ivory tower to take out the trash …

         Upon exchanging a quick, shy Hi with this guy, the blushing maiden deposits her load, and spinning around quick as a top, she and her pounding heart fly back into her house, where, dashing up stairs to her tower, she throws herself on her bed, astounded by her chutzpah.  'From that day forward' at the first hint of a whistle, Annie's dark lashed, bright, blue eyes sparkle with delight and wheels spinning with the speed of light, she makes haste to race toward the leash, which clips onto Pixie's collar—because—miracle of miracles—Joseph had greeted her with a welcoming smile!

         With no time to lose, the spring in the girl’s high-spirited step puts a swing into the ponytail, which bounces like a plume on top of her head.  And with dog, trash and boldness in tow, our heroine runs outside, stuffs her worries about the boy’s reaction into the can along with the trash, and under the guise of taking Pixie—an adorable black and white, toy fox terrier, who frolics along next to big strong, blond shepherd-mix, King—for a walk, Annie's spirit walks on air.
        The fact that this scene repeats itself, day in and day out, allows one pair of long lashed, twelve year old, blue eyes to gaze adoringly up at her master—I mean—at King's master, while girl, boy, and their dogs amble forth down the alley.  With time, comfort zones mesh, conversation flows freely, and as this good natured, young couple gets used to teasing each other, as friends often do until the ease of mutually trusting laughter connects one spirit with the other, as simply as the alphabet starts with A,B,C (NO MORE BULLIES FOR ME!).  As you can imagine, Annie’s in heaven, so her feet rarely touch the ground—even at those times when Joseph tosses out questions and comments concerning his growing interest in certain classmates, who just happen to be really cool, good looking, slim girls … Grrrrrr ...