The Kiss

The Arena roller skating rink was one of my major hangouts in the early 1960’s.  It was a dark place, where minors went to socialize and misbehave. 

My home life, in those days, was abysmal; like many of my friends, I was dealing with an abusive stepfather who made my life a veritable living hell as he caused my helpless mother to live in constant fear for her life.
Sometimes the police would come, but domestic violence was a grey area in that era, at least where I was from.

The Arena provided sanctuary.  The coolness of the air-conditioned air, the dim lights and the youthful energy was comforting.  The music, the skaters and the general ambiance provided at least temporary distraction from a life in torment.
Billy Jordan was a regular at the Arena.  He was the coolest and the toughest of them all.  He smoked Pall Mall straights and always had a pint of cherry vodka stuffed down the front of his blue jeans.  Billy had a smokin’ ’57 Chevy and an even more smokin’ girlfriend named Glenna Christopher.

I had never spoken to either of them.  I was much younger and in no way a part of their crowd.  I admired Billy, but became absolutely infatuated with Glenna.  She was the most beautiful woman I had ever seen and I wanted to shout it from the rooftops.  Seventh graders can be like that.

I had confided to a number of my friends and word of my undying love for Glenna eventually reached her ears--I had no idea--had I known, I would have been embarrassed and also frightened at the possibility of having Billy Jordan to contend with.

Then one afternoon, as I sat along the wall with my peers, the lights turned down yet another notch and the DJ announced a couple’s skate.  I looked up and there was Glenna Christopher, looking right into my eyes.  She reached out, took my hands and helped me up. 
As we skated, arm in arm, I felt the soft curvature of her waist, smelled the sweetness of her perfume and experienced the warmth and generosity of her soul.  As the song ended, we skated back to my seat.  Glenna gave me a peck on the lips and skated off to join her friends.

When I looked over at Billy, he smiled and gave me the big thumbs up.
And there it was, a dream come true.  I don’t know what ever became of Billy Jordan and Glenna Christopher, but I will never forget them.