Lots of “Firsts”

It was 1989.  I was done with high school and I was 18 years old.  It was an exciting time with lots of first experiences. For example, I got my first place.  I didn’t go very far from home though – I moved in with my dad.  It actually worked out pretty well except I think he didn’t quite know what to do with a teenager who came in at all hours of the night.   

I got my first full-time job.  I worked at a mall shoe store called FanFare shoes, if any of you remember them.  Those were the days of stirrup pants, mile-high hair, and bad makeup.  Oh how I wish my pictures were digital so that you could see the complete fashion tragedies.  I’ll include the ones I do have though.  It’s so embarrassing it’s (almost) funny.

Fashion issues aside, I was doing pretty well “living on my own.”  I got my first pet – a cat named Sammie. Big mistake.  I never had him neutered so he ran around spraying the house. My dad ended up having to buy new carpet.  Needless to say, my first place didn’t last long.  I hope my dad’s forgiven me.  

It was also the year I got my first real car (the Maverick in high school didn’t really count because I hardly drove it).  It was a little red Nissan Sentra.  A five-speed, which I thought was so cool.  The car had those  purple tinted windows, the ones that you could install by hand.  It was obvious that the person who installed them didn’t know what he was doing and ended up with bubbles and lines all over the windows.  But how I loved that car! (it looked liked this, only in red)

I also had my first boyfriend.  Micheal (changed for privacy) was his name.  Oh he was pretty.  I met him at a church dance, which was definitely the social scene in my day.  I remember we danced to Sinead O’Connor’s “Nothing Compares 2 U.”  Remember that song?  I remember it.  I remember it because a few days after the dance, Michael showed up at work and gave me a copy of the single.  I was hooked.

I can’t remember what our first date was or even our last.  I do remember that he tasted like Carmex and smelled like Loreal hairspray.  He had a high laugh and was very feminine.  He was adopted, he was from California and he drove a red Cavalier.  And he was also very sweet.  

18 years old – the year of a lot of “firsts.”  I’m just glad I don’t have to go back and repeat them!

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