(Martin is narrating)
My one kiss with Rick, in coffee terms, was like adding a tablespoon of Rocky Road ice cream, turning the taste from bitter to glorious. I didn’t dare stand from my lotus position on the floor!
“My first kiss,” Rick said. He didn’t grok gayness at all, where outside of pure theory boys could be attracted to boys.
I shrugged. “Mine was by a girl two years ago.”
He blushed. “Why me, as your second?
“Why not? I guessed you might be lonely like me.”
“I am, but I’m not like you!”
“I trusted you with the most important thing in my life. Truth.”
“All right,” Rick conceded. His tears rained on the board, so he shoved it aside, then took all night to explain he was an only child with abusive parents. I sat on the floor with him, to listen.
Later, I put my hands on his shoulders in sympathy. “Ouch!”
Rick stared at the floor between my arms. “Last year I sang along with this karaoke I was watching when Mom unplugs the television, and then slaps me. ‘I want no more of this pagan shit!’ she yells. ‘You will do nothing but study, and more study, and even yet more study, ‘til I’m satisfied you’re putting your heritage first!’ ”
What his parents dealt to him dismayed me. “Holy…” I breathed.
“They’re so proud now of their son getting a double grade skip from the district, but I’ll give them all they wanted and then some. I’ll finish high school in three years!”
My jaw dropped. “How do you intend to do that?”
Rick gave me a wicked smile. “I don’t need parental approval for one overload class per semester or to take summer remedial math or English, which in my case will not be remedial.”
“College at fifteen!” I gasped. His impossible courage and determination were obvious even back then.
“I’ll build a new ship, under this wreck serving as camouflage.”
“You can also get away from the pressure. Visit me at Pinehurst a week every summer! I can lend you my parents. Good enough?”
His eyes welled up. “It will have to be!”
So my mother phoned Rick’s mother to spin from pure moonshine a story how her vulnerable son pined for lack of companions. I liked Rick from meeting him at camp, so would it be okay if he visited me for a week every summer?
Rick’s parents agreed these missions of mercy were mitzvoht, good deeds, moreover from my Dad paying Rick’s airfare!
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