THE FIRST TIME For...well, you know
THE FIRST TIME
Today, 59 years ago. A group of seven career Air Force officers and their wives or girlfriends were going to enjoy a picturesque 3 days in a small chalet on the slopes of Garmisch, Germany. What a vision of mountain beauty and splendor. It was going to be a weekend out of the movies, with time for fun, skiing, drinking….and a little romance, uninterrupted by work or any ‘little monsters’.
The ‘little monsters’ in our house were my 6 year old sister and I. I was 13 1/2 . My parents did not feel secure leaving a self-absorbed and socially-emerging 13 year old in charge of a rambunctious – bratty is the real word – sister who often defied their parental wishes, much less mine. One brave lady, a Mrs. Cochran, whose husband was temporarily in Iceland, said she would take care of all four of the young girl children for the weekenders. I never heard how well she dealt with that responsibility, but my sister never went there again. Other girls did…..but not my sister.
The group of parental partiers left early Thursday afternoon on a comfortable Mercedes tour bus. My sister and the other girls had been delivered to Mrs. Cochran just before the parents departed. It was just a short walk to school, so I had come home for lunch and got my last minute instructions and warnings from my Mom and Dad. Typical stuff. Do this. Don’t do that. I reminded them it was just three days and that other adults were around the housing complex if something came up. My Dad appreciated the ‘take charge’ remark. My Mom didn’t. I went back to school. After school, Bucky and John and I went to the AYA (American Youth Association) to socialize, have a shake or a sundae, and check out the girls and the gossip, maybe dance. Dancing and Gossip were a big deal in those days….guess Gossip still is. The AYA had a very nice soda fountain. The lady made fabulous burgers and she made a great caramel sundae. Mmmmmm. There were pool tables, ping pong tables, shuffle boards, and board games available AND a jukebox that took pennies, instead of dimes. It was kept very up-to-date, in terms of the records, by the folks at the Main Base Exchange who worked in the Entertainment area of the mall-like store. There were plenty of tables & chairs, a very roomy dance floor and a stage for visiting or local productions. It was a nice place for kids to gather…..a place to organize and refine their devious plans.
Then, we heard……..It was to be a party like no other we had known. It would be at Kim’s apartment. At 15, Kim was two years older than me. I would probably be the youngest guy there, since I was a couple months younger than Bucky. Kim’s best friend seemed to have the ‘hots’ for Bucky, despite his age. He was a handsome devil, slim with Fabian hair. Kim’s father was a full Colonel and their apartments were bigger – just a little nicer. Anyway, there would be girls and boys….a dangerous mix. There would be snacks and music and dancing. There would be ‘naughty’ games played. There might even be some ‘making out’ in the corners or while dancing. AND THERE WOULD BE BOOZE! WINE & LIQUOR! Booze, glorious booze. I’d only intended to get drunk once in my life, just 6 months earlier on my 13th birthday; and was looking forward to doing it again. Plus, my parents would not be home to catch me stumbling in.
Kim had decorated the apartment and her girlfriends had brought a lot of finger food snacks and soft drinks (mixers). The Telefunken console stereo was playing all our favorite 45s. The kids were talking, laughing, dancing, smoking, eating, drinking – enjoying this unique ‘freedom’. For most, there would be serious atonement if and when their parents found out…...but for this little while, we were acting just like our parents did at parties…..and it was fun.
Being but 13 years, I had only been truly drunk three times in my life
1. Age 3, accidently found bottle of 7Up under sink that was actuaaly vodka strained from a broken bottle of vodka. Mother found me passed out, face down in the sandbox. Said I drank about 2 or 3 shots.
2. Age 8, uncle who was a Schlitz plant manager made his own strong beer and gave me a 16 oz bottle to drink while we watched Friday night wrestling and the Middleweight Championship fight between Sugar Ray Robinson and Gene Fullmer; and
3. Age 13, just a few months earlier in April, when a small group of 13 year-olds realized we could get away with it...and went to "the Stube." (another story)
I was having a helluva good time at this party…….but I was mixing wine and beer and hard liquors and eating lots of snacks. Perhaps the others knew better, I don’t know; but I started feeling queezy and light-headed, so I went into one of the bedrooms to lay down in the dark, hoping I would feel better in a bit, then continue my drunken foray.
As I lay there in the dark with one foot on the floor to keep the bed from spinning, the door suddenly, but slowly, opened. A familiar voice asked, “Are you okay?” It was Kim, the 15 year old with big boobs & pretty legs who was throwing the party. “I’m okay….I guess.” I managed to groan. Profiled in the light from the hallway, I could see her pulling her pink and gray poodle sweater over her head as she said in a most sultry Southern accent, “Well…..Buzz honey, I’m gonna make it all better.” And she did.
I learned much – several times - that night….a fairly long night. That’s what a hot 13 year old guy can do…..especially when it is all brand new. She seemed quite experienced and was very instructive for such a young girl, but I appreciated it; and she seemed to enjoy herself immensely. A couple of people looked in on us….and for more than just a few seconds. My parents’ German maid (everybody had a maid in post occupation Germany) got home before I did. She never ratted me out. I’m sure the word of my encounter with Kim spread like wildfire through the party population, which meant it would surely spread through the student body in no time. Kim did not want a boyfriend, but a convenient ‘now and then’ lover; and she was willing to share. Soon, I had a reputation….a good one….and similar opportunities befell me with appreciable frequency. I guess they all wanted to know ‘great sex’ before they got too old. LOL.
In retrospect, I owe Kim a lot. She validated my existence at the time. You know how it is for tender teen egos with zits. She gave me confidence for subsequent encounters; and we all know how important confidence is to a guy – any guy, any age - when it comes to “that kind” of confidence. Between the teachings of Kim and Richard Boone, confidence has never been an issue.
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