Dumbfounded

July 14, 2012 at 6:15 pm · Filed under fun stuff, Mostly true, Stories, the good old days ·Tagged Barry, Charles L. Mashburn, french, french kissing, poem, stunned silence, writer

Karin is on duty over at dVerse Poetics tonight, and she’s got us writing about things French. I’m thinking this ain’t what she has in mind, but, hey, French is French!

Back in the day, my best pal Barry and I used to roam the neighborhood late at night. One night, when we were in eighth grade, or maybe freshmen, we ran into a couple of neighborhood girls and experienced an awakening that to this day remains vivid in my mind. I’ll bet you Barry hasn’t forgotten it either.

Dumbfounded

 

We were minding our own business

One summer night ago

Standing in the vacant lot

Bored to tears with nothing to do

 

Then came the sound of giggling

We turned and there they were

Two lovely lasses smiling big

And sauntering straight our way

 

The lot dimly lit by a hazy street light

The girls definitely out of our league

A little older you see, but not only that

Two of the prettiest girls in school

 

They slid up to us, all coy and mysterious

Our brains went plumb on the blink

Then one blurted out a question

Asking something I will never forget

 

Have you ever been French kissed?

We answered in unison, NO!

I’d heard of the practice of course

But never thought I’d get to do it

 

The two exchanged grins full of mischief

Their eyes sparkled in the glow of the light

Me and my pal stood like dumb statues

Eyes bugged and mouths open wide

 

One grabbed my pal, the other grabbed me

And a demonstration quickly ensued

Tongues were darting and dancing

And minds went fuzzy and blurred

 

We were obviously startled and a wee bit excited

At this sudden education

One we’d discuss in amazement

At great length in the weeks to come

 

It was over as quickly as it had begun

And we stood in dumbfounded silence

As the two giggling girls ran away

And vanished into the darkness

 

We heard a backdoor bump shut

Then turned slowly and stared at each other

Wondering what had just happened

Eyes glazed over, we said not a word

 

My pal slowly turned and walked down the street

I watched him fade into the night

Then smiling I spun and headed for home

Thinking, these are the good ol’ days!

 

Copyright © 2012 C. Mashburn

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