First Kisses And Cheesy 80's Rock

Today at work was a blast. We have these teams days once a quarter where we get together, have a few refresher courses, go to lunch, and spend the afternoon having fun. Well, today was a great time. We had our morning classes and for lunch, we headed over to a chain Italian restaurant (yeah, you know the one with all the salad and breadsticks you can eat). It was here we all started blabbing and reminiscing about life and what not.

The topic came up: who did you first kiss and where? This was easy for me. It was Maria C. We were at a "party" during the summer before my 7th grade year. I lived in Clovis and would pretty much spend my summers back with my cousins in Texas. Most of the cousins I ran around with were a couple of years older than me, so naturally they were much more into girls and parties than I was. At that time, the only thing I could think of was football and starting summer football practices: the dreaded two-a-days (one practice at 10AM and the second at 4PM).

So about a week before I headed back for the start of football practice, my cousins JJ and MT and Maria's brother Albert had a party. It was at Maria and Albert's place and of course, mom and dad were out of town for the night. Now mind you, our idea of a "party" was a six-pack of Miller High-Life, a couple of bottles of Boone's, and Loverboy on a boombox. Like any other junior high party with inexperienced kids, it degenerated into a room with everyone kissing. Maria and I were sitting on the couch watching TV uncomfortably in the room ... or at least I was. I was more nervous than a virgin on prom night ... wait a minute, I was a virgin at that time!!!! Anyhow, I remember being so nervous that I could hear my own heart thudding in my chest like a sailor stranded in a sinking ship banging on pipes for help ... THUD .. THUD .. THUD!!! My palms were clammy and I was so nervous, I thought I was going to just keel over.

The crazy thing was that Maria was calm; almost as if an old pro at this ... and she was a year younger than me!! But eventually we started to scoot closer and closer to one another. The fingers intertwine (always the first thing that gets you excited). She leans in closer to the point she almost sitting on my lap. Then it happens. You start little by little getting close. You can feel one anothers breath. You can hear the other person's breathing amplified. Sounds close out; your vision narrows; your stomach flutters. Your faces move close to one another and your head somewhat instinctively tilts to one side or the other. Your faces meet and your lips part.

If only all first kisses were this smooth and memorable ....

Now I can tell you that my first kiss was nowhere this smooth nor suave. Not at all. I remember that we both tilted our heads the same way. We actually bumped noses going in for the kiss. Again, Maria was much smoother than I. I was the proverbial bull in the china shop and she was the butterfly graceful and light. But just like sleeping, after a bit, you get the gist of it and it becomes second nature. We ended just making out for the rest of the night and I was on a high for weeks after that.

What I found sad was at lunch today was that some people couldn't remember their first kiss. I always remember the first kiss if for nothing else that moment of excitement. That moment of commencing on a new adventure in life. That moment when all is right in the world and nothing bad can happen in that instant. The relief that comes with that first kiss and the anxiety of waiting for the next. There is that electric charge through your body when your fingers first touch and intertwine. There are so many great emotions and highs associated with that exact moment, I truly can't understand how you don't remember. Hopefully you out there remember your first kiss and maybe even you'll blog about it someday. But then again, there are some memories that we like to keep special just for ourselves....