99 questions to ask your grandparents #55.

55. Tell me about your first X (i.e., date, car, home, book you remember reading).

This is a meme, is it not? Here is my spin on the matter.

First date: Ginger V. I was a nervous thing, despite knowing her from church group. We both remember at the end of the date we didn’t kiss. We have kept in touch and she laughs about it and she knows now why.

First car: a red one, I think it was a Ford something, which I bought at a used car lot. I remember it stalled overheated while driving it home.

First home: my childhood place on Faircourt in Grosse Pointe Woods. Such fond memories! of which I have often written.

First book: I don’t remember the literal first book but I remember the first book that jolted me into and prompted me to become a lifelong reader was ‘The Phantom Tollbooth’.

First favorite album: The New Seekers ‘I’d like to teach the world to sing’. Groovy.

First major accomplishment: having read the most books in my grade school class, which was marked by the number of gold stars on the chart. I passed others by a country mile, many who despise me to this day.

First major sorrow (that I can remember): I did a horrid thing to another boy, and my mother knew about it and kept it to herself until an appropriate moment. She had known of my cruelty for some time but had kept it to herself. I remember going to the basement and weeping for my actions. not only for what I had done but how I had let down my mother.

First realization my parents were human not just parents: When Father was laid up with sciatica. I had never seen him sick before. It was scary to think he was vulnerable, not invincible.

First realization I was different. I was six years old. I was drawing pictures. I started drawing cartoons with nekkid boys in them. As I did, I realized something was not ‘right’, something different was happening. I couldn’t articulate what it was or what was happening, but there was a sense the world has suddenly crashed and nothing was to be the same. It was not a happy feeling at all. How was I to live with this? I get angry when I am told it is a choice.

First birthday party. I remember having a Peanuts-themed party for the boys and girls in my neighborhood. I can still see the place settings. I remember too being mad-jealous of a boy in the neighborhood named Mark – I don’t remember why. I remember was making sure his cup, plate, and placement were all ‘Lucy’. That would show him.! What a bitchy queen move – and at six years old!

First alcoholic drink. Would you believe me when I told you this wasn’t until I was a junior at college? My microbiology partner, who was from England, made his own ale, a dark type to rival Guinness. I still going to his fraternity to try some. Needless to say I was a pantywaist and after only a few were I was terribly temulant. He played albums by Tomita, which I still associate with drinking. Thanks to him I prefer my beer dark, bitter, and complicated – like my men.

First airplane flight. Our family flew to Philadelphia for a weekend excursion to see the sights. I was so excited to be on a plane. United Airlines it was and the stewardess (for that is what they were called) gave me a pack of United Airlines cards. The captain announced my name as it was my first time on an airplane. The joy of flying has slowly gone downhill ever since.

If you fancy a follow through, please copy and paste these items in the comments and tell me your answers.