Member-only story
Never Make Your Girlfriend Mad
I found out the hard way
I dedicate this article to Lu Skerdoo, Pam Winter, Nancy Blackman, TzeLin Sam, and Linda Wright—all writers in my community who give me great advice on writing and keep me laughing every day. If you have not read an article from them, by all means, stop what you are doing, and go check them out. Please, tell them Wire Editor Newman said hello.
Middle School Romance
I met my first girlfriend when I was in middle school. It was puppy love at first sight. I worked in the church gym on Friday nights handing out basketballs and skates. That is how tough we were back then. If you could skate around a basketball game, you were good. And if you could play basketball under a disco light with strobes, you were even better.
One Friday night, she walked into the church gym. Looking at her, I could not tell you my name that night. She came over to the little cutout window and asked for skates. All I could say was, “Huh?” She repeated her request. I was so nervous. I remember dropping her skates and they broke in a million pieces.
There were wheels and tiny ball bearings everywhere. I remember handing her basically two sandals.
Somehow this relationship went from that night to sitting beside her in church. She was a year…