|
(per the previous column, I can't forget Brian Breed. I was over the moon about him when I was a senior and he a junior. It was my first "kismet" feeling.... more on that ad nauseum later.)
Chuck was in my co-ed dorm - Reed Hall at University of Georgia.
He was a boy from Powder Springs, GA. He played drums in a band. He was a red-head. He was smart. He was mysterious. He was wry. He was very tall. He was stable - although - before I met him (remember I was only in Reed Dorm because I made a harrowing move from my "virgin vault" dorm I had shared with my high school friend who went sorority and all the cliches...) - he had been rumoured to sit on a bridge and just think. I found that quite charming. He also had an excellent group of friends. I often choose boyfriends who have a very great group of pals. He had a great mom too - Betty Dean.
I pretended I had a crush on him. It was sort of a joke with my roommate at the time. But, I suppose I was prescient, because - just like grade school, all the friends got in on the action with things like telling Chuck I liked him and then telling me that he "thought I was cool". Sue (my roommate and I) even tried to woo him through his catholocism. We went on the railroad tracks that overlooked the cemetary and she put some of her cigarette ashes on my face and we pretended that I had gone to Ash Wednesday. Naturally, it was all in good fun. We giggled a lot in those days.
Turns out, Chuck was the usual lapsed catholic (I seem to know about 8.2 million of them), but later he told me he didn't even notice. Perhaps they had faded.
We got together. I had more experience than him since I had "lost it" with Dave on one un-lovely occassion (as is the experience with many lasses). It turns out, I was Chuck's first girlfriend. In a way, I molded him. Poor thing.
We ended up necking in the breakroom and becoming a couple. I quasi lived with him in the horrible Villa East (picture four guys in an apartment way off campus and the LSD experimentation and me the girlfriend who was always around)... then we made it official. I broke the news to my parents and life commenced. We enjoyed our new apartment. I became the girlfriend. We had people over.
Chuck and Steven (yeah, I had a crush on him too and stuff with him which I don't know if I'll bother telling) played around town. We would all go underage drink. Athens was a ball. I didn't know it at the time. We all felt it was a weigh station for good things to come. What would life show us group of fabulous geniuses?
We moved next to Kent and Mike and the clique became super firm.
Chuck and I became brother and sister. It tore my heart out, but I broke it off with him for the boy next door.
I was with Chuck for what seemed like forever and a day. I suppose it was just three years.
We were great friends after we broke up - until he dated his second girlfriend (and by that I mean, he had me than her) who he later married. I got he and Steven to move to Wilmington (and thus changed many lives). We were pals. Losing him from my life - as a friend - was probably the hardest thing that ever happened to me, but he chose her over me. It was logical on his part (although I am always bitter that he just didn't tell her that she had to accept me and quit being a bitch). It taught me things.
Often, I think of Chuck and Mark in the same vein. Their mothers are much alike. Their stability is alike.
Anyhoo, you rock chuck. Now, he lives in New York and has a really cool life and has quit smoking and drinking so much due to the heart attack. I really loved you, but come on - we were 18 when me met. I always had told you that we were only together until something better came along. It was harsh but real.
I do think of you a lot. I remember I pictured us living in Florida in our older age - listening to Van Morrison on the screen porch after I got off my shift at the local diner/convenience store.
We loved the Replacements together. I loved watching you drum. I'm sorry I didn't support your move to guitar, but I'm glad to hear from Kent that you are doing well with it. I only wish amazing things for you. Once La Kristen has loved you, you are always loved by La Kristen.
Kisses. Now on to the most intense one of my entire life - so far....
First times are always the hardest as they're more surprising. As you get older and play the game, enter the world, your learn many things.
Kisses again.
|
