Hello, faithful readers.  I'm feeling a bit nostalgic this morning.  And since I've recently acquired a few new subcribers, I thought it'd be a good time to recycle another classic post from the G-Dogg archives to welcome you to my Xanga.  Enjoy, and thanks for readin'...

[originally posted November 16, 2003]

Ross: You know, you probably didn't know this, but back in high school, I had a major crush on you.
Rachel: I knew.
Ross: You did! Oh... I always figured you just thought I was Monica's geeky older brother.
Rachel: I did.
~ "Friends"

We were in the first grade.  I noticed her a year before, in Kindergarten.  Sure, I had experienced love at first sight many times in my lifetime, but this was definitely the first episode.  Her name was Kristen - a cute blond-haired, blue-eyed angel.  We spent every minute of recess together.  Hanging the monkey bars.  Swinging the swings.  Sliding the slides.  And it was good.

One day, a friend and I were playing after school at my house.  He asked me if I liked anyone at school.  My heart began to race, but I didn't answer him right away.  I played it real cool.  Fonzie cool.  "Oh, I dunno, I think Kristen is a little cute, I guess."  His eyes widened. "Dude, you like Kristen?  Awe man, I'm gonna tell her!"

Shit.  My heart was pounding now.  I forgot that my friend and Kristen are not only good family friends, they're also next door neighbors.  Would he really tell her?  What would she think?  Shit.

Damage control. 

I came up with this really clever lie.  It was so good, that you could've hooked me up to a polygraph and I'd pass with flying colors.  "You know... um... I really don't like Kristen.  I was just joking."  But my friend saw right through it.  Was it the beads of sweat on my forehead?  Was it the thump thump thump of my heart trying to break out of my navy blue Alligator shirt and Members Only jacket?  Was it that when he said he was gonna tell, I looked like a deer in the headlights?

The very next day, everything seemed normal.  At recess, Kristen and I were together again.  Hanging the monkey bars.  Swinging the swings.  Sliding the slides.  Apparently my friend didn't give away my secret.  I was off the hook. 

Until...

We were in the middle of the field.  Just the two of us.  She turned to me and asked me, "Do you like me?"

I froze.  I looked at her and our eyes met.  She was beautiful.  Her skin... her smile... her eyes... her hair... breathtaking.  Has this time finally come?  Is this the chance that I can finally express how I feel about her?  It felt like eternity before I opened my mouth to answer her.

"NO!" 

I made a 180 degree turn and I ran.  I ran faster than I have ever run before. 

And I cried.

~

Tell me about your very first crush?

'Til next time,
G-Dogg