When I was sixteen Mark Owen and I noticed two girls following us after school. This was Marilyn and Judy. Mark asked me what girl wanted, if and when we made a move. Mark was surprised I was a virgin. I chose Marilyn.

“That’s who I want!” Mark said.

A couple of days later, Mark shows me a note Judy handed him in class. It’s from Marilyn.

“Come see me after school. Here is the address….”

As my friend left for his date, I got out an empty canvas and started a painting. I resigned myself to being a virgin – and an artist. I would never get – the woman. However, it was my dream to render a Masterpiece. This was my Destiny!

A half hour later, Mark comes in the door, walks up to me, and hands me the note.

“It was meant for you. There was some mistake.”

There was no mistake. Judy was supposed to hand the note to her friend who was in my class, and then I get the note from this friend. Judy wanted me, as did Marilyn. Judy had messed with Destiny! Marilyn and I were meant for each other.

When I first kissed Marilyn, I was repulsed. It was my second kiss, ever. I gagged. I walked ten feet from her, and turned my back.

“What’s wrong?” this beautiful fifteen year old girl asked.

“Give me a minute!”

Two weeks earlier my mother pulled me on top of her and gave me a deep list. She was drunk and having the Dts. I was trying to comfort her.

I turned towards Marilyn, walked up to her, and gave her a deep kiss, my first deep kiss. We were in love. Our long kisses took us to France

My struggle to own anything that resembles a healthy sexual identity – is epic! Rosemary beat up Marilyn when she confronted her hold on me. My mother pulled her hair and slapped her face as she growled,

“No one tells me how to raise my son!”

There is much more on this subject, but, I must get my beloved Muse down from the palm tree where she is surrounded by alligators. It’s time for us to enter the museum.

* * *

When we met in the courtyard, here are the first meaningful words Rena spoke to me. We had not seen each other in two months.

“We can’t kiss. I have a boyfriend, now.”

We would never kiss again.