Memories . . .

Today I found out the first boy I ever kissed died on Saturday. The kiss was many, many years ago. He was my first crush, first boyfriend, my first prom date, my best friend in high school even after we were no longer boyfriend and girlfriend. It was a very small high school in a very small town in the shadow of the Northern Rockies. He lived with his family right around the corner from us and we would walk to school together most every morning. And then we graduated.

He and 5 other boys from our small class, all good friends, left the next day to serve in the armed forces and several of them ended up in Vietnam. Roger didn't go to Vietnam. He was selected to be a Navy honor guard at Arlington. Our paths went in totally different directions. His family moved from the small town where we grew up. My family sold the general store and moved away as well.

I went on to college and he served in the Navy. I married someone else. I knew later that he also married. I hope he was happy. I know he was the most handsome boy. I saw him one more time after graduation about 16 years ago at a class reunion. And he had become the most handsome man. My heart, my prayers, and my love are with him and his family.