Now you should know that as a middle schooler, I was by no means the boy-crazy type. I spent the majority of my Friday nights doing history extra credit, my Saturdays en route from field hockey to soccer to ice hockey game, and my Sundays at home with my little brother and sister keeping up family traditions.
Me (in the blue dress) with Mom, Sam,
too-cool-for-school Gretters, and Dad
Me with Aunt Tracy, baby Fritz and Gretters
I know, I know - you just don't get
why the boys weren't all over
this red-faced, pale, lanky, ratty-haired middle school babe
I did have a boyfriend for a tad bit of time. My shy but sweet neighbor called me up one fine evening and asked me if I wanted to "go out." I obliged and we proceeded to be become a couple making plans to go on some group movie dates that never ended up materializing. When we saw each other in the school hallway, we'd avert our eyes, bashfully nail our gaze to the floor, and then scamper along without saying a word. It finally came to an end a week and a half later when we ran the mile in gym class: I jogged within feet of him the first three laps, sprinted ahead on the fourth, and then told him the news as he crossed the finish line a minute or so later.
Besides school, sports, and siblings, I spent a lot of my middle school time in the theater. I dreamt of marrying Jonathan Taylor Thomas (better known as JTT) and knew a leading role in Hollywood was my ticket to the altar.
In the 7th grade, I got my big break: nailing the role of Becky Thatcher in First Stage's Tom Sawyer. Now let be clear: this wasn't just your average high school or community theater production. This was genuine professional theater - we're talking 1 month of 5+ hours of rehearsal every day and then 1 month of 2 performances every other day. There'd be so many day shows and we'd have to miss so much school that they had to cast TWO strings of young performers. We're talking serious, serious stuff here.
Me with my fabulous Nana and Pops
at intermission while playing
my first role at First Stage:
A bald Zebra in Zink the Zebra
The second I entered that rehearsal hall and saw the dreamy blue eyes and wispy red hair of Tim Linn (my cast's Tom Sawyer), I knew I was in love. As we rehearsed our entrances, held hands during our cave scene, memorized our lines, practiced the on-the-cheek kiss for Act II, and got fitted for our costumes, my infatuation grew deeper and deeper. I just knew he felt the same; it was only a matter of time before he admitted it.
As we moved into tech week (our final seven days before opening night), the unspeakable happened. As my mom dropped me off at the uber intense University School of Milwaukee drop-off circle, I accidentally slammed my hand in the back door. While the blow was painful enough, my mom - not realizing my mishap - began to drive away forcing me to sprint alongside the car pounding at the window in a desperate attempt to alert her of my monumental fail. Finally, she heard me, pulled over, and detached me from our suburban door's evil grip.
My days with this monster weren't always so happy
Into school I went with a hand the size of a baseball mitt and a right middle finger swollen to four times its size with a fingernail now bright purple blue. That evening, my dad took me down into the basement with a set of matches and a nail draining the blood from underneath my talon and then soaking my mangled metacarpus in a bath of Epsom salt.
The home-brewed remedies did me no good - I was forced to show up at rehearsal to practice my hand-holding scene with the most nauseating phalanges you ever did see. Despite my fears, I convinced myself Tim would see past my shocking shaker and love me despite its debilitating size and color (now a purple bluish brown).
Flash forward to opening night - Rob (our director), Tim, and I are on stage going over some last minute notes and edits.
"Now, I've decided to change how we work the kiss," Rob started ever so carefully. "I'd like to move it from just the cheek to the lips."
Just the thought of Tim kissing me on the lips turned my face crimson.
"Now I don't want to practice it now because I want the first time to have all the innocence and allure of a real first kiss, but you two should feel free to discuss. Break a leg." And off he went.
Tim and I chatted through how we'd rework the scene to make it work and then he broke in with:
"Hey, um, KK - there's something I, um, kind of, well, kind of want to - um - chat with you about. Meet me at backstage right in 15?"
Oh my goodness, I thought. This was IT! He was going to get me into the back dark corner of backstage right, profess his love to me, and tell me he wanted to practice the kiss FOR REAL. Best. Day. Ever.
I sprinted back to my dressing room, smacked on some chapstick, and began mentally preparing for this very important rite of passage.
I met him right on time - he was there with clammy hands looking more nervous than ever.
"So, um, KK. There's something I've been wanting to talk to you about for awhile, but I just haven't known how to do it. But now that we've moved the kiss to the lips, I feel like there's something I should ask you."
His eyes glanced nervously towards the floor. My heart was pounding like I'd just run the 100 meter dash in record time.
"So I have this really serious crush on Julie Pledel - you know, the girl who plays Becky in the other cast. I'm wondering if maybe you could call in sick one day, have her sub in for you, and then I'd be able to kiss her and all. I'd really super appreciate it."
WHAT?!!?!
"Ah, yeah, sure, of course." I managed.
"You're the best. See you out there!"
About 45 minutes later, I had my first kiss:
On stage
In front of 300+ people
(Including my mom, dad, sister, brother, and three sets of grandparents)
From a boy who was in love with a different Becky Thatcher
Oh well. A first kiss is a first kiss.
xoxo
KK
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