Rigor Mortis Should Set In
Emily Dickinson wrote Hope is “the thing with feathers.” So what could be more feathery than a new year?
When I awoke January 1, 1977, you can bet I was hopeful. I’d spent most of the night with my new girlfriend Kim, the last chunk of it just a block from her mom’s place, over at Skeeze’s house watching Elvis in “Blue Hawaii” on TV, cuddling under blankets and looking like our lives had just begun. Because they had.
Then, 14 days later, we broke up.
Submitted for your consideration (direct from the diary)—an autopsy of the Adolescent Puppy Love Corpse:
Sunday, Jan. 2
“Yesterday I told Kim I’d meet her at church, so I had to walk to Twin Birch and get Mom’s car, which I did. I then proceeded to Mound and talked briefly, after the service, with Kim…later I took Kim and Kim P. out to the Soda Fountain and Skeeze also stopped by there with us. I felt kind of depressed, even though I do care for Kim.”
Monday, Jan. 3
“Teachers never seem to forget what work you were doing when you were at school last. It kind of makes me sick. …After school I went over to Kim’s and she was kind-of not talking to me because of how cold I was last night, so I left around 5:30, disgusted slightly. …I went back over to Kim’s, met her Dad (he’s a neat guy) and after he left later, stayed over there until 10:00. When I got home I was very slightly bitched at.”
Tuesday, Jan. 4
“This evening, after dinner, Steve H. was able to drive me to the game. I met Kim there and sat with her and Diana D. Steve drove us all home around 9:30.”
Wednesday, Jan. 5
“I took Brian up to his Confirmation Class and I gave Kim a note I wrote her when I was up there. She said she [had] some old Camp Kingswood photographs of me and others from Diana D. I gotta see them soon.”
Thursday, Jan. 6
“I gave Kathy a kiss today for giving me a nickel. It was kind of neat. Oh yeah, Kristi gave me a note today and it was kind of a sum-up of what’s she’s been thinking. I don’t really care. After school I went over to Kim’s to look at those camp pictures…”
Friday, Jan. 7
“After school I went over to [Kim’s] and looked at Tracy’s new skis, oh and I was also there to see Kim (just kidding!)…she said she was getting her hair slightly trimmed tomorrow (No! I say.)…”
Saturday, Jan. 8
“I didn’t see Kim today and it was breaking my heart. It kind of depressed me all day, yet I did have a little fun. …I called Kim and talked to her for a while after dinner. She has to babysit this evening. Steve, Skeeze and I went to see Network at the Cooper. It was a super good movie.”
Sunday, Jan. 9
“…it was 40 below last night, so Dad and I stayed home. I was supposed to meet Kim at church. Anyway, there was a Super Bowl party over at Don’s (her mother’s boyfriend)…I went over there around 3:00 after I took Steve’s amp back to him. Kim, Kim P., Lori and I had some pizza at the Pizza Gallery in Spring Park. I drove them back to Tippi-Waken around 6:00…”
Monday, Jan. 10
“This evening Steve, Skeeze and I went to Third Stone and the Soda Fountain. Vince came too. We were going to go bowling but it was league night. I talked to Kim when I got back home.”
Tuesday, Jan. 11
“I hate realizing depressing things. Hold on, let me review what happened on this god-forsaken day. …I drove up to the girls’ basketball game and Mound won. Kim was there and she seems so ‘cold’ and unfriendly sometimes that it just plain bums me out. I left around 9:30, alone.”
Wednesday, Jan. 12
“I just got off the phone a while ago from talking to Kim. We were having a pretty heated discussion on our relationship, but as for me, I really care for her. Things are going to get better.”
Thursday, Jan. 13
“A change in my attitude took place this evening. I talked to Kimberly a few times on the phone this evening and I was planning on going over to her place, but Dad wouldn’t let me. It made me mad. The first time I talked to her I got kind of depressed because John T. was over at her place…”
Friday, Jan. 14
“…there was a Smoke Signal editorial meeting at 12:00. I was feeling totally depressed all day. The meeting left me unenthused. This evening, Mike E. and Jeff are at a party, Skeeze is working and doing a Pop Singers show, Kim is roller skating, and I am at home, ready for bed.
“Rigor mortis should set in.”
Completely in the Dark 
aw man, Kim this, Kim that… I feel your pain man! and they call it…puppy lo—–ve…
LikeLike
yeah, I know. well, we all gotta start from somewhere
LikeLike