FIRST KISS

At least that's part of the title of this print. And last week I read in the Register-News that 1976 Mt. V. T. H. S. grad, Joe Atkinson said one reason that the Friday night reception for their 3oth reunion was held at the old Granada Theatre was that many had confessed their first kiss took place there. I started thinking, "Mine, too." Either there or at the Stadium Theatre down the street. Actually, I think it was the latter. At a Saturday matinee. With fellow fifth grader, Jackie Coleman.

Until Jackie, I didn't have much reason to pay attention to girls. I wasn't like Beaver Cleaver, more like Wally. I had sports, a neighborhood, and tv to occupy my time. I had family and school and Sunday School, man, I just didn't have time for girls.

Somehow Jackie and I found each other at one of the theatres. She went to another grade school and was a cheerleader, so we may have known each other from that. I know Franklin School always killed us in basketball, so I'm sure I didn't impress her athletically. In a game in our sixth grade year, Dickie Young and I each scored 4 points against Franklin. And that was it. For our whole team. Franklin had 25 or so.

But Jackie and I kissed at the show. It was fun. It wasn't quite the setting as in the print, but probably few first kisses are.

I asked my wife when her first kiss was. Kindergarten. And her second kiss was first grade. Wow. I think I went my whole sixth grade year kissless and didn't pick it up again till junior high.

Like Joe, I wonder how many others began kissing at the Granada (or Stadium). And one final rememberance of Jackie--she had a green hula hoop.