Wilson’s World

Wilson lay on the damp grass gazing into the star lit sky pondering what had just happened. She had kissed him—Lee Ann Tolivor had kissed him, and right on the lips. How could he ever wash those lips again? Wilson rolled his tongue over his upper lip and felt the eye-popping charge of the kiss all over again. But what was this feeling, Wilson really didn’t know, he just knew that it felt good.

Wilson had known Lee Ann for as long as he could remember, but up to the moment of that kiss, he had just considered her his best friend. What did this all mean? Wilson was feeling and imagining things that were new and strange to him. Sure, he knew that boys and girls were different and that when they grow up, they get married and kiss and stuff, but Wilson had never given all that much thought. Wait, Wilson thought, does this mean that we must get married. Just then a picture of his mother popped into his head—she was standing over him saying, “You’re too young for all this mess.”

Now, Wilson began to recall all the times that he and Lee Ann had played together. How he had loved being her friend. He remembered always including her in his parties and always having the best time at her parties. As he thought on, he recalled that Lee Ann was everywhere—even on family vacation.

Then, as if lightning had struck, he remembered a time when he and Lee Ann were lying on a pillow in the den, and Lee Ann had said, “I wish that this day would never end” To which Wilson replied, “Me too.”

Wait a minute, Wilson thought, could Lee Ann and I already be married? Wilson had been to weddings before but had not paid very much attention to the proceedings. Now, he searched frantically through his memory bank for some sort of clue of what had really happened last night. His heart raced as he began to recall that the bride and the groom made some sort of vow to one another then they kissed. Had he somehow gotten married and didn’t even know it? Now, the facts began to line up, he had gotten married and he needed to get a job. But what job could he get, he was only a kid? He was sure that his mom wouldn’t hear of him and Lee Ann living in their small apartment.

Wilson sat up and shouted out loudly, “Boy I wish my father were here to help me with this one.” Wilson didn’t really know where his father was, and if his mother knew she wasn’t saying. There had been so many times that he wanted to hear his father’s voice say, “I love you.” Some of the kids at school told stories of going hunting and fishing with their fathers, and Wilson loved hearing those stories because they supplied his mind with fantasies about his own father. But now, Wilson was in real trouble, there wasn’t time for fantasies.

As bad as it all sounded there was still something wonderful about the kiss. Wilson had seen people kiss before, but he had never imagined what it was all about. Now, he was smiling when in his mind he should be worried. He had always thought that Lee Ann was the prettiest girl in town, but he had never thought of her as a girlfriend. Once again, he rolled his tongue out over his lips and thought again of that moment when Lee Ann kissed him. He had hugged Lee Ann many times and he was sure that he had kissed her at least once over the years but somehow that kiss was different from all the rest.

What a day, Wilson thought. Lee Ann Tolivor had kissed him on the lips. He thought of his class mates with all their stories about their fathers and then he shouted out into the darkness, “Let me see them top this.” Once Michael Sterling had told a story of kissing a girl, but he said it was awful. This could not have been the same thing, Wilson thought because this kiss was awesome. “Just wait until Michael hears about this kiss” Wilson said to himself.

The dew was now falling heavy, and Wilson was drenched but somehow, he didn’t care. He knew that he had to get up, but he really didn’t want to. He just wanted to think about the kiss. Then, a frightening feeling came over Wilson. If he got married, he would have to have children—that meant that he would be a father. He was sure that he was too young to be a father and besides he didn’t know how. How could something that felt so good be turning out so bad, Wilson thought.

Then suddenly, as if lightning had struck Wilson realized that he had been lying there for hours. Mother must be beside herself, he thought. “She will really get me this time” he said, slowly pulling himself to his feet. How would he explain where he was and why his clothes were wet? He rolled his tongue over his lips which had been kissed by Lee Ann Tolivor one more time and reluctantly started out for home.

It seemed as if he squished as he walked. He had not realized at all that he was so wet. He could now feel the water dripping down his back. Then, he heard the thunderous sound of his mother’s voice crying out, “Wilson, get up you’ve wet the bed again.” Wilson jumped up from where he had been laying and saw that his mattress was soaked. “Go ahead and shower” his mother said, “and get ready for school.” When Wilson got into the bathroom, he rolled his tongue over his lips one more time and smiled.

That day, Wilson thought about the kiss all day. But he couldn’t really remember, had Lee Ann really kissed him or had he imagined the whole thing? Wilson didn’t really care, he just rolled his tongue over his lips and smiled.