First Things First

Have you ever tried to remember the “Firsts†in your life?  Some examples of “firsts†would be: first sweetheart, first kiss, first date, first sex, first job, first car accident, anyway you get the idea.  I think we forget all those important things and maybe take them for granted, or wish they had never happened.  I was 16 when I found my first sweetheart.  Her name is Joyce Weaver.  I have no idea where Joyce is now, but she was the perfect “first loveâ€.   She was kind, attentive, and as sweet as a southern peach.  On our first date I went to her home at one of the coal camps in our area.  She lived in the Red Jacket Camp, and I lived about 6 miles away in the Page Camp.  I remember sitting in her living room looking at old photo albums while her mother was making dessert in the kitchen.  The TV never came on, the telephone refused to ring, and we stared into each other’s eyes and wondered what the future held for us.  As I left her home that evening, I remember thinking, as I got into the car, what it felt like to be in love.  Sadly, our relationship lasted a few months and when I told Joyce I wanted to start seeing someone else, she cried.  That was the first time I broke someone’s heart.  I decided then and there that I never wanted to do that again.  I can’t say that I ever have.