Best Intentions

Chapter 10

1975

Spring

8th Grade

Washington C. H., Ohio

“Catherine likes me”, Jackson stated. “Are you kidding man”? Bill said and added, “Yeah she does, her friend Rebecca said she did in home room today”. “That is cool”, Bulluck said back to his friend while munching down on a sandwich. “I have track practice, today, but I think she plays tennis on those courts nearby, and man, I think she lives on the street above the football field”. To which Bill replied, “Sounds like you both can meet. Hey, I got to get to class. See you at practice”. “Right on, see you then” Jackson replied.

Catherine was the kind of cheerleader you would see on TV. She had long blond hair the shade of sunflowers in the summer with golden hints and gentle curls on the ends. Her crystal blue eyes sparkled when she spoke or looked at you. Catherine’s smile went cheek to cheek with pearl white teeth glimmering through the bronzed and tan skin. The tan was probably from going to Hilton Head with her parents over spring break, or that was what Jackson thought.

Jackson went to track practice that day, but there was no Catherine at the tennis courts. “Bummer”, Jackson thought to himself while running laps around the quarter mile sand and black cinder high school track. “Maybe tomorrow at school, I can see her”, he said out loud before bursting into the last one eight-mile sprint to the finish.

“Hey Rebecca, what’s happening”, Jackson said stopping by Catherine’s friend’s locker. It was near his, so it made it easy and did not seem like an annoyance to her. “Hi Jackson”, Rebecca looked up into his eyes, wondering what the sudden attention from him was all about.

“Hey, I had heard that Catherine might like me, do you know anything about that rumor”, he asked expectantly? “Well, she just might, but you know she is kind of selective about such things. You should ask her. You both have the same lunch time; you could ask her today”. Rebecca continued, “She is nice, she does not bite”, smiling back at Jackson. “Yeah, maybe so, sounds like an idea anyway. Thanks Rebecca, I am going to be late for 1st period, catch you later”, Jackson finished talking and ran off to the stairs taking him to the second floor. "See you at lunch”, Rebecca yelled out to him as he departed.

“I don’t think so”, Catherine told Jackson at her lunch table. “I have been dating Jimmy”, she continued. Jackson knew this (about Jimmy) but tried just the same. Around the table sat her friends and fellow cheerleaders, Patricia, Rebecca, and Jodi. They all smiled at Jackson, so the rejection did not seem all that bad. “Ok, I understand, maybe we can play tennis sometime after track practice”, Jackson still hopeful for a connection. “Well maybe, will have to see”, Catherine replied with a smile that indicated the conversation had closed.

Thirty years later, Jackson and Catherine’s paths would cross again at their 25th high school reunion. To Jackson, she looked just as beautiful, tanned, and happy as she had back in the 8th grade. They shared a look at each other, a long look in the eyes and for Jackson, a remembrance of what could have been.

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Chapter 11

1975

Early Summer

Washington C. H., Ohio

“Hey sure, will be right over Rebecca, bye” Jackson said, and she replied, “Byyyeee”, emphasizing the “y” and “e” before she hung up. "Cool, I am going over to Rebecca’s house and her parents aren’t home”, Jackson said a little bit louder than he meant too.

“Where are you going”? His mother asked to which Jackson replied, “Over to John’s, then we will probably go shoot some hoops down at the park with Denen”. “Ok, well don’t forget you have your paper route, and that needs to fit into your day too, Jackson”. “Oh, I know Mom, I know”, Jackson said as he pushed open the back door of their house on North North Street.

Jackson went out to the garage, got his white ten-speed bike, rode back up the driveway and down again for the right hand turn before running onto US 41, North North street. North North Street, stupid name for a street, you would think they could have thought of something better, Jackson thought.

Jackson rode his bike the three blocks to Main street, for another right turn taking him downtown passed the courthouse through six lights to where instead of turning left to go to his friend John’s house, he took a slight right which basically was a straight to head the direction of Rebecca’s. Bulluck did not know really, how he and Rebecca had become a pair, but since he got to go to her house, he really did not need to know the details. They both were turning 15 years old in the fall and going to high school, so maybe this was going to be his newest cheerleader relationship.

“Hi, come in”, Rebecca opened the door and said welcoming Jackson into her house. “Nobody’s home” she continued. Jackson said her house was nice and with the bright sun coming through the windows that morning, the additional light made Rebecca’s blond locks that much more pretty. He loved looking at her and even though they had not kissed or even held hands yet, he was smitten, and she knew it too. Girls know those kinds of things, he thought to himself.

“Come here, sit down, right here please”. “Ok, sure” and Jackson took a seat beside Rebecca. There was a cool summer breeze wafting through the shear curtains, causing ripples her hair and she said it was making her chilly.

On the love seat, Jackson scooted up closer to Rebecca, pretty much with her right leg touching his left one. Both had shorts on and Jackson, for once was tanner than someone, though in Rebecca’s case, her milky white skin made a perfect contrast to her light blue eyes.

“Jackson”, she said his name more in a question, than if anything else”. “Yes”, he replied. “Kiss me”, she said and with that he did and the two became intertwined in each other’s arms and legs. As they kissed, both fell to the carpeted floor, however, did not stop. They kissed, and rolled and played like to young tigers, eager yet anxious to explore and to see where it would lead them.

Rebecca reached out for Jackson’s hand and placed it on her sweater front. Jackson assumed Rebecca wanted to feel what it was like to have a boy touch her. Time seemed to stop as the continued and though they were not really boyfriend and girlfriend; each was feeling something for the other. ____________________________________________________

Chapter 12

1975

Mid-Summer

Washington C. H., Ohio

“This is too cool”, Jackson said out loud while crossing over West Court Street with his hands outstretched to balance his white ten-speed bike. “Going over the Kelly’s house, oh yeah, very cool, I hope she does not know I am still 14 years old”. Jackson peddled his bike down the East Main Street Hill to Gardner Court where Kelly lived.

Kelly had just finished her freshman year of high school and was going to be a sophomore in the fall. And a high school cheerleader at that! Jackson thought she might be interested in him, since he had a great 8th grade year running track for the middle school. He set records and was getting mentions in the town newspaper. Those records were set in the mile, and three-quarter mile at various track meets in the conference and for his Middle school. To top it off, Kelly was one of Catherine’s friends, making her Jackson’s first older girl he could end up dating. Kelly was a carbon copy of Catherine, perfect.

Jackson rode by the Washington Court House football stadium looking at the stands he would be sitting at this year to watch Kelly, Catherine, Patricia and Rebecca, cheer on his friends to victory. He took a right onto Gardner Court and pulled up Kelly’s driveway, making sure to park his bike out of the way of her parent’s car. “Ok, here we go” thought Jackson as he reached out to ring the doorbell. The door opened and there stood Kelly, looking like a Charley’s Angel from TV.

“Come in, come on Jackson, let’s go downstairs where the TV is”, she reaches out for his hand to guide him through the suburban styled home. “Ok, Kelly, sure”, was all he could think of saying while the blond in short cut off jeans and a high school football practice t-shirt led him down the stairs.

“Sit here, I will turn on the TV”. He did as told and when she returned, she sat down next to him. He too was in shorts and a t-shirt, just not quite as short as hers. “Hang on a minute”, Kelly said to him as she reached over to turn off the light. “Turn off the light”, Jackson thought to himself and without another second to pass, Kelly kissed him. Not just a little, but with her young eager tongue and body pushed up against his. The TV left a bluish hue of light over the pair as they locked lips for what must have been an hour. That kiss was all he had ever wanted.

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Chapter 13

1975

9th Grade

Washington C. H., Ohio

“What do you want to do”, she asked “what do you want to do”, he replied. “I don’t know” she said, and he replied, “me either”. This Mexican Standoff continued at the right side of Amy’s house for thirty minutes.

It was a cool, gray October day and Jackson had met Amy at lunch. They both sat in the gym up on the bleachers away from the other kids. Amy kept to herself for the most part as did Jackson except for his older friends Mike, “The Mad Ox” and Mark, the “Dream Weaver”. On this day though, Amy asked Jackson if he would like to come over to her house after school, which was very much ok with him. They shared a secret that she had introduced him to after they had spent more than a few lunch hours together.

Amy was already sixteen years old, a 10th grader, dishwater blond, lithe and only about five two. She too had been moved to Washington Court House by her parents due to a job just like Jackson. Only this was her first year there and she had come from California. She had the most beautiful green eyes that caught Jackson by surprise the first time Amy looked up at him when he came into the gym to eat.

One such lunch hour, she reached into her pocket and pulled out a small piece of paper with tiny circles on it. Each circle was no more than an eighth of an inch in size all set in a row. Amy showed the blue dots to Jackson though did not ask him if he knew what they were, she assumed he did. She stared at Jackson as he sat there in faded blue jeans, a green flannel shirt with a couple buttons opened at the top, shaggy, but clean shoulder length blond hair with black Converse “Chuck Taylor” type shoes, looking to her just like all her friends back in San Diego.

“Want one?” Amy asked him. Jackson nodded yes, and she carefully tore a blue dot from the paper and handed it to him. “I would wait until later, when you get home, tonight or with one of your friends”, she cautiously said to him with what seemed like concern for his wellbeing. “I am going over to my friend’s house, Greg’s today after school, you live close by don’t you, and maybe I can come over”? Jackson asked. Amy replied with a nod and jumped off the bench, looking back to her new friend smiling.

“It’s getting cold, come here”, Jackson said to Amy pulling her up into his arms on the side of the house. “I should go in, my mom will be looking for me, I will see you tomorrow anyway”, Amy said pushing back from Jackson. “Yeah, ok I understand, see you later”. Disappointed, but happy just the same, Jackson got back on his bike and turned left to go to Greg’s house.

Along the way, Jackson reached into his pocket and took out the little piece of paper with the blue dot. He stopped the bike along the side of the street and licked the little blue dot off the paper. Did not taste like much, but it was Friday, a football game to attend and Greg’s house to stay overnight, what could happen?

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Chapter 14

1975

Late Fall

15 years old

Washington C. H., Ohio

“Come upstairs”, Tina said to Jackson, “Ok, cool” he said back. Tina quickly opened her door and jumped on to her bed. “She jumped on her bed?” Jackson thought to himself, “no way man”.

Jackson had only known Tina a few days, when she said he could come over and hang out. She was a year older than him, in the 10th grade, a brunette who likes to wear jeans and wool sweaters. This kept her body safe and sound, Jackson thought to himself, now that he was beginning to understand girls a little better. Jackson stood at the side of her bed, looking at Tina not knowing what he should do next, when he saw a light shine up through her silk curtain. Tina saw the light too and jumped up with a scream.

“That is my dad, you have to leave, right now Jackson, leave out the side door”! “Oh man”! Jackson yelled back slamming her bedroom door, turning left the right to figure a way out.

Second floor, backdoor, that was what she said he thought. Jackson’s brain also let him know, Tina had a brother, younger one, but hoped the kid was not home. Jackson jumped down the stairs, hit the first floor, breathing like a scared Montana antelope running for its life, while being chased by a mountain lion. Boom out the oak front door he went, stopping for just a second to gently shut the screen door. His bike laid on the leaf covered grass, ready to be picked up and powered on by the boy.

“Man, that was close”, Jackson said out loud crossing over West Court Street onto his North North street. “I wonder if her dad saw me, hope not for Tina’s sake”, he thought as he biked the last quarter mile to his house.

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Chapter 15

1976

15 years old

Washington C. H., Ohio

“Mom, I am going for a run”, Bulluck called out to his mother who was reading in the front room of their house. “Alright dear, just be careful, there might be ice on the sidewalk”, she said back as Bulluck finished tying his Adidas track shoes. Not the good ones with spikes, his trainers. Jackson was good at running track, especially the long distances. Though, to really do well in that sport, practice was all important, even in the winter. For the run tonight, it would be about six miles, three out with a turn at Laura’s house before the three miles back. Maybe she would be outside, he thought to himself, knowing all the while that would not probably be since it was late February and still in the thirty’s temperature wise.

Laura was different than most of the freshman cheerleaders Jackson knew. She had coal black hair always tied up in a ponytail. Sparklingly blue eyes, the color of sapphires with a rich deep skin tone of copper.

She was Jackson’s best kept secret, one that nobody knew. Not his brother, friends or not even her that he was infatuated with her. That was ok, just the thought of a rendezvous with her was enough to keep him running each night, building up his strength to run the mile and to win.

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Chapter 16

1976

Spring 1976

9th Grade

Washington C. H., Ohio

Dawn was a stone fox, and it was a cold night with clusters snow mixed with grass still on the ground. She was the kind of fox, that for their age was not the norm and she had invited Jackson over to her house on a Wednesday night. Her parents and brother had gone shopping in Wilmington, so they had the house to themselves. Dawn was the remaining freshman cheerleader that Jackson had yet to be friends with. She was as tall as he, maybe even a little taller. Brown eyes, shoulder length blond hair and long, long perfectly shaped legs.

Within moments of his arrival, the lights were dimmed, soft rock of 70’s played and kissed they did. No worries about interruptions this time. Their kisses were the long, tongue infused, body rubbing kind. The type of kiss, there time moves so fast that the night is done before it began. A perfect variety for a couple of high school kids in 1976.

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Chapter 17

1976

Summer

Washington C. H., Ohio

Drinking beer when you are fifteen years old, leads a boy to take risks. Jackson kissing Rachel on the downstairs steps to the finished basement all the while her boyfriend was outside would be one of those times. But what could Jackson do, when all she did all evening at the party was to look at him with her blue eyes, chocolate brown hair and deep summer tan?

When her boyfriend, Duane went outside, Bulluck walked over to where Rachel and a girlfriend of hers, Katie stood. Rachel’s smiles and eyes never left Bulluck’s own as he walked across the room. He and Gary looked a lot alike, the only difference was that Bulluck ran track and Duane played football. Both drank, smoked dope, had long blond hair, blues eyes and dressed in flannel shirts, faded jeans and Chuck Taylors. It was a uniform of sorts for “stoner” guys in high school back then.

“Rachel, come here”, Jackson asked and reached out for her hand guide her his way. She smiled a “yes” then slipped and fell back against the downstairs steps. Bulluck reached down to pick her up, and as he did their lips connected and tongues intertwined for just a second. Both let their legs bring them up to be standing in facing the front of each other. Their hands released; the kissing had stopped, just as all the conversations of the others in the room fore there stood Duane at the sliding plate glass doorway.

He had seen the whole thing and now everyone in the room wondered what was going to happen next. Especially Bulluck because he was not a fighter. Bulluck quickly walked over to Duane and apologized for his part in what had just happened. Gary wanted no part of the discussion and did not take a swing at Bulluck. The why, he didn’t probably had something to do with that Bulluck’s best buddy, Mike “the Mad Ox”, a six foot four inch offensive lineman of their high school football team stood up behind Jackson and gave Duane a look to back off. Duane complied with his teammate’s visual request, but that would only be for now, he would find another time to deal with “Bulluck” himself.

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Chapter 18

1976

10th Grade, 16 years old

Washington C. H., Ohio

“Hey Jackson, are you going out to the station tonight”, Melanie asked. Melanie was the daughter of Bulluck’s boss who was a local realtor and owner of Channel 3, a cable station serving Washington C.H. Jackson worked nights at the station, playing vintage black and white westerns and would go “on location” to tape high school football and basketball games.

“Yeah, why?” Jackson replied across the classroom aisle to Melanie. “I need to pick something up for my Dad since he is out of town, would you mind taking me”? Melanie said to which Jackson replied, yes and that he would pick her up at 7:00pm at his boss’s office downtown. “Thanks Jackson”, Melanie smiled back to him.

Jackson arrived five minutes early to pick up Melanie and she was ready to go. She had short brown hair with brown eyes and wore makeup. Not really Jackson’s type of girl, and being his boss’s daughter too would not let anything come up from a simple errand run. On the drive to the station they talked about school and she asked to smoke a cigarette, to which Bulluck, while not thrilled about that in his car, begrudgingly agreed.

He turned off Ohio Route 22, unto the gravel drive for an eighth of a mile drive to the mobile home serving as the TV station. When stopped, he jumped out of his seat ran around the car, and opened her door, just like he was on a date, to which he knew he was not. His mother had taught him well to be polite to all the ladies and his dad made sure he did so.

“Melanie, I will be in the back, just yell when you are ready to go”, to which she replied a yes. After about ten minutes had passed, she called out to Jackson that she was ready to go. Jackson finished what he was working on, turned off the lights in the control room and locked the doors. As he walked to the front of the station, he noticed the lights were turned down incredibly low and that seemed strange to him. The front of the station had a couch, a chair, and a bathroom. It looked like only the bathroom light must be on due to the darkness. Bulluck turned the corner of the front studio doorway to see Melanie sitting on the couch dressed in just a bra and panties. He looked at her in the eyes and she did the same with him as well as she reached to his hand for him to join her on the couch.

“Melanie”, Jackson said her name with as much question as anticipation. “Be quiet, kiss me”, she said and with that he did. Her kiss was wet with anticipation and desire. She pulled him close to her and took off his shirt. They kissed, and kissed, but it was somewhat awkward since they really did not know each other all that well. She removed her panties and pushed Jackson’s hands between her legs. She was just as moist there as she was in her mouth. While he was not as skilled with the foreplay as the event proceeded, it sure did feel good, and was just what he had dreamed about doing with a girl.

“Make love to me, Jackson, make love to me”, she purred into his ears and proceeded to remove now his pants. Jackson had not spoken a word but did as she requested. This was his first-time having sex, and he had no clue about how to proceed. It was a bumpy experience, but fortunately, Melanie had some idea about what she was doing.

The sex was soft, wet and within minutes, that was it. All the years of his thinking about having sex, making love whatever you would like to call it, it was done. They did not hold each other, or even hug, they just put their clothes back on, got into the car and drove back to town.

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Chapter 19

1976

Early Winter

Washington C. H., Ohio

“Want to go upstairs?” Jacqueline asked Jackson to which he replied, “yeah, sure” as he took her hand and followed her up the stairs of the house. He had never been to Melanie’s house on Washington Avenue before, that said he did not turn down the opportunity to see Jacqueline there, since Melanie had asked them both over. Man, things were moving fast, Bulluck thought.

Bulluck had met Jacqueline a year earlier in their freshman Spanish class. She sat next to him and they talked each day, but nothing every came from it. Jacqueline was the daughter of his 6th period English teacher, a single mom that had just moved to Washington C.H. from Cleveland. Jacqueline was smart, a 4.0 student with long thick curly dark brown hair, brown inquisitive eyes, with curvy body and like Jackson was sixteen. Jackson was struggling with learning Spanish, and she would try to help him with the language.

Jackson walked up the stairs and Jacqueline guided him into the bedroom. “Want to get into bed Jackson”? She asked him. “Sure, yes”, he replied. His heart was beating so fast, he wondered if she would notice. “You can take off your clothes, if you want to, I am going to”. He nodded yes, turned sat down and began to do so.

She once she had her shirt off, she reached over to him, took his hand, and placed it on her ample left breast and kissed him like it was her last. They fell backward into the bed and she took off her jeans, panties and got under the covers. He did the same, though not as quickly, but within seconds they both were under the sheets, kissing, fondling, and groping for each other. Everything seemed to Jackson to move so fast and for Jacqueline she knew he was hers for the taking.

“This way, move, there that is right”, she whispered in his ear. “My heart is pounding so fast”, Jackson blurted out and with that finished. She smiled up at him with a look that must have some significance that was unknown to Jackson. A mysterious smile, one that illustrated what, he thought to himself? Just as fast as the two had jumped into bed, they dressed and went downstairs.

“I should get home, see you at school tomorrow”? Jackson stated. “Yes, tomorrow” Jacqueline said back and reached up to kiss him.

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Chapter 20

1977

Spring

Washington C. H., Ohio

“You want to come over”? Jackson asked Melanie on the phone with its cord stretched tightly into his corner bedroom so he could keep the door closed. He did not want anyone to hear what he was proposing, certainly not his mother. “Yes, I do, and Jacqueline wants to come too, is that ok”? Melanie replied.

“Yeah, yeah that is ok, but it is kind of late, can you come through the side door in my room, it is in the back of the house and has its own stairs up from the back yard”? Jackson asked. “We can, will be there in a little bit, bye” she said and Bulluck anxiously replied, “Cool, bye”. She hung up.

“Whoa man, they are BOTH coming over to my house, in my bedroom”, Jackson apprehensively said to himself, opened his door, and hung up the family phone to the wall.

It was 10:30pm, so everyone should be asleep in the house. His dad was on the road, working, mom was upstairs reading, his brother and grandmother were fast asleep, upstairs too. At night, he had the first floor to himself and with his room being clear in the back of the house, just off the kitchen it would be perfect for whatever was coming next. Bulluck took his Thin Lizzy record off the turn table and replaced it with Pink Floyd’s, Dark Side of the Moon album. A righteous mood enhancement.

Knock, knock, sounded from his side door. His room had been the library in the house and had two doors to it, one from the kitchen and one to the outside, a groovy exit, perfecto for a sixteen-year-old boy.

“Ssshhh, we need to be quiet”, Jackson said, and both the girls nodded yes, they understood. Both were dressed in shorts and sweatshirt tops. Their hair was down, not tied up in ponytails. Bulluck’s bedroom had one chair and a queen size bed, flanked by bookshelves against the walls with books of all type. All three sat down on his bed.

“So, what do you want to do”, Jackson asked first to which Melanie asked back, “well what do you want to do”? The three nervously looked at each other. “Why don’t you lay back Jackson”, Melanie said first, and Jacqueline nodded yes in agreement. Jackson obeyed their command and let himself fall back onto the cotton pillows. Jacqueline moved on the bed first to Jackson’s right side and passionately began kissing him. Melanie fell to his left side and fondled him through his own shorts.

Before long, Melanie whispered into his ear, “Do you want to have sex”? “I don’t know, what if someone wakes up and comes in while we are doing it”? Jackson whispered back. “Come on, let’s get under the covers”, she purred back into his left ear. Jacqueline had heard all that was being said between Melanie and Jackson and had stopped kissing him. She remained though nestled up against him. “Ok”, Jackson said back to Melanie and began kissing her. Jacqueline got off the bed and sat down behind the chair. Bulluck figured that she was not part of Melanie’s plan.

Melanie and Jackson had sex and this time it was better than the first. Maybe it was being on a bed versus a couch or in a bedroom versus and office or maybe it was because they knew each other’s body’s just a little better. No matter what, if this is what “making love” was all about, Bulluck was along for the ride.

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Chapter 21

1977

Spring

Washington C. H., Ohio

“Hi”, was the first thing you said to me Maria, as I my head laid upon a desk at the 10:00am study hall. I was asleep, not deeply, but just enough to rest my eyes from last evening’s debauchery and remaining Thursday morning wooziness. You stood there smiling as I lifted my aching head, with your shoulder length curly brown hair all of five feet, four inches tall with a nice smile. Little did I know at the time, that you would be the first girl I would ask to marry me, as well as to be the first woman I would be disloyal too.

You had your priorities and taught me to appreciate the details of maintaining a relationship with a female over the three years we spent together. There was no love making, but there were plenty of handholding, kissing, and spending quality time together.

You had my attention whether it be waiting for you to get off of work at Famous Recipe Fried Chicken, or watching you play the clarinet in the school band and as we attended your proms and mine. When I got arrested you did not dump me, even when I lost my driver’s license for a full year my senior year of high school. We went to movies, ate dinners out together and you even waited for me to graduate high school, so we could marry.

I have seen you once since that fateful night when I broke off our engagement. You looked well and the time that had passed had been kind to you. Thank you for your forgiving me and I hope you found someone to love you as much as you deserve.

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Chapter 22

1978

End of Junior Year Party

“You need a ride home Brandy”? Jackson asked. Not the same Brandy from Middle school, this Brandy was one Jackson had classes within high school. She a petite, shapely, raven haired beauty that was always nice to Bulluck. “Yes, I am ready to leave, I will go with you. “Great, my car is over there”, Jackson said pointing to the street away from the party.

Bulluck opened the front passage door for Brandy and she seated herself. Jackson got in his jacked-up Chevy Impala, and put an 8-track tape from in the new band, Van Halen. They drove away from the party and not much was said between the two. As Jackson pulled into the Bellaire neighborhood, Van Halen’s song, “Unchained” powered out from the speakers and he cranked up the volume. Jamming to the song, listening to Eddie’s guitar and what would become his trademark riffs.

Jackson feeling the moment, downshifted the Impala, from 4th to 2nd gear which caused his rear tires to recklessly spin and create a 360 turn. Just as suddenly, his car jumped the curb and off they went into the back yards of Brandy’s neighbor’s yards. It was late and the dew had formed on the grass. When the car came to a stop in one of the back yards just missing a kid’s swing-set, Bulluck turned off the cassette radio, hit reverse and tried to get back to the street. The more gas he gave the engine, the deeper the ruts from his tires grew. The Chevy Impala was stuck.

“Brandy, get out of the car, run home, you have to go NOW”! Bulluck screamed to her. She got out of the car and did as told. Bulluck turned the car off, seeing lights of the adjoining houses coming on, shut the doors and left the scene himself. Brandy and Jackson never spoke with each other again.

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Chapter 23

1980

Late Spring

19 years old

Washington C. H., Ohio

“You want to work here”, more a statement than a question, Jackson Bulluck, Parts Manager, The Sports Center asked high school senior. Eighteen-year-old Veronica smiled and said yes. “Well, it’s just a bunch of guys, mechanics, salesman and me in the Parts Department”. “I think I can handle it”, Veronica said back flashing a pearly set of whites and batted her blue eyes. “Ok, let me show you what you will be doing here”, Bulluck replied and took Veronica between the isles where the Honda and Yamaha motorcycle parts were stored.

He could not help but notice her starched white cotton blouse stuffed into a set of Calvin Klein jeans. “I can pay you fifty cents above minimum wage, which I know if not a lot, but since you are in high school working part-time, the owner won’t let me pay more”. “It is ok”, Veronica said back and asked when she could start work to which Jackson stated that tomorrow would work fine.

So, Veronica started work at the Washington Court House Sports Center on the following Saturday and Jackson began his pursuit of her. Somehow, he forgot that he was already engaged to be married to a sweet girl named Maria.

Maria did not stand a chance in keeping Jackson’s attention with Veronica was as tall as he, her with cropped short black hair, ample curves in all the right places and above all, she would offer encounters of the sexual nature that was not to be until marriage to Maria. Bulluck had his own apartment outfitted with some cheap furniture and was on his own. He was different than the boys in her school that she had dated, if anything, he had his own place to hang out.

Veronica and Jackson would work the Parts Department together. Him and her, her, and him. It was a twist of bumping into each other while finding a spark plug or a piston located in the tight aisle ways. As said, she had a big smile, straight teeth, and big blue eyes that entranced Bulluck daily.

More to come soon. Please be on the lookout for, “Best Intentions 2…Give a Dog a Bone”.

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About the Writer

Jason Rummer, born in 1960, father of three adult daughters, worked from ten years of age through his 60th year, published four books, a painter and producer of commercials and videos. Five fiancés, three marriages, and is a widower. Appreciative of all things his life has been.

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Many thanks to the unknowing, innocent participants in this creative non-fiction book. You are loved and were a major part of some of the best times in my life.

The Babes –

The girl on the porch, Kristie, Candy, Lisa, Roxanne, Nancy, Pam 1, Katherine, Rosie, Jodi, April, Jenny, Mindy, Jill, Linda, Brenda, Kim, Robin, Pam 2, Pamela, and Mom (rest in peace)

The Dudes –

Andy, Brad P, Mike M, Mark W, John H, John D, Steve, Jim M, Rick, The Sports Center Crew, JMAC, Gregg, Mark, Justin, and Dad (rest in peace)

In memory, EVH