What’s a moment in your life that made you feel truly alive?

We meet at our work parking lot. Our summer jobs are done. School starts in a week.

He’s the boy from the lab. It’s our first date.

We hop into his car and drive along Lakeshore Blvd. The windows of his old manual transmission Toyota Corolla are rolled down, open wide.

His bolo tie, shaggy mullet. His left arm ushers in the summer air as impromptu air conditioning into his Toyota. The pleasant scent of Giorgio Armani cologne doesn’t escape me.

He grabs my hand confidently as we stroll along the sidewalk.

We pass by a bakery.

“Do you like rum balls? Let’s share one you’ll love it!”

Never had one before. It’s good.

Continuing to Harbourfront, we admire the boats at the dock.

Stopping at the man-made mini lake with its pay-for-use little sailboats.

We sit at an outdoor patio under the soft glow of the stringed lights.

He has green eyes. Great taste in music. He’s hilarious. No awkward silences.

The bar closes. Where did the evening go?

We head back to the parking lot where we met.

“That was a lot of fun. Let’s do this again soon”

He grabs my hand, and pulls me close.

Soft, sweet, then intense.

Our first kiss.

(I’m not a huge country fan, but this song always hits me)