Ergo, the Ogre

It is time once again for Fandango’s Story Starter. This week our mission is to incorporate this story starter teaser, I’d imagined this moment so many times, but I never expected… into a piece of prose or poetry.

A new world was opening up for me. I was so expectant and excited I could hardly stand it. That Friday evening, I’d been invited (by a boy!) to the 9th-grade Sock Hop in the school gym. There was going to be a band and refreshments, everything you could imagine. And it was also my very first date!

When Friday night finally rolled around, my dad dropped me off at the school and I met my date, KW, at the drinking fountain. Looking back, it was a pretty awkward evening, especially the slow-dancing part. Neither of us knew how to dance so we stepped and tripped all over each other.

What sticks in my mind after all these years was The Kiss. I’d imagined this moment so many times, but I never expected to end up with a few soggy remnants of chewed-up red licorice in my mouth afterward.

The take-away: Always make sure you chew and swallow all of your food before going in for the uber-sloppy kiss.