Best Intentions

U.S. Copyright

Best Intensions, The First Twenty

1-9664701991

Best Intentions…”The First Twenty”

“All Relationships begin, with the mystery of connection, and the

best intentions…”

Forward

Best Intentions…”The First Twenty”, is a short story, a collection of twenty tales of young love from 1970 through 1980. It is written in a creative non-fiction format. A love story of one boy’s relationships with the girls in his life. From ten years of age, through to his twentieth year.

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Chapter 1

1970

4th Grade

10 years old

Huber Heights, Ohio

“I’m going to be late, my first practice”, Jackson Bulluck said out loud to anyone listening all the while peddling as fast as he could up the street to the baseball field. “Man, the grass smells great”, he said to himself, the sweet, dewy, fresh cut, so predominant in the suburbs of central Ohio. Bulluck keeps peddling, faster and faster on his green Huffy banana seat stingray bicycle. Around the next corner, a full block down the street was the field. He will only be five minutes late, maybe the coach will not say anything. He hoped anyway, not wanting the attention drawn to him.

“I can take this corner fast” turning a tight right, which for a second brought his eyes to the left to a front porch of a ranch styled house. As he turns and looks at the house, he sees a cute girl, his age he thinks, maybe someone who will be in his class this fall when school starts again.

Time slows as he looks at her. Short shoulder length brown hair and a bright yellow dress. At that moment, Jackson realized she is looking at him!

WHAM, CRUNCH, OUCH, Jackson Bulluck begins to pull himself up off the rear trunk of a blue Ford Mustang. “Ouch again, that hurt”, he thinks to himself to be followed by from adult voice, “are you all right”? It was the girl on the porch’s father. He had burst through the front door, ran out through the moist grass to see what had happened. The father had just heard his daughter, scream out about the boy who just ran his bicycle into the back of their neighbor’s car parked on the street. She had been watching him.

“Yes, yes sir, I am ok, thank you”, Jackson Bulluck said as he looked at the back of the car, then to the girl. She smiled at him and he sheepishly smiled back. She had deep dark brown eyes to match her brunette shoulder length hair. Surprisingly, nothing terrible had occurred to the car, there were no scratches or dents and for Bulluck, he had only a bruised ten-year-old ego.

Her father spoke again, “well, looks like there is no harm done here, you better get to your game son” noticing the Thomas Hardware uniform the boy was wearing. The man was considerate, kind and was not aware that the boy had crashed into the back of his neighbor’s car while looking at his own daughter.

Bulluck climbed back on his banana seat, “chopper” bicycle and began to peddle away. He looked back over his shoulder to see the brown-haired girl once more. To which, he was rewarded with a smile and a small wave of her hand.

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Chapter 2

1972

Early Spring, 5th Grade

Westerville, Ohio

“You can sit here” she said as she patted the cold vinyl covered school bus seat. “Ok, thanks”, Jackson replied. “Kristi wants me to sit with her”, he thought to himself. The bus pulled away from Handby Elementary school for the field trip. They were both dressed in late winter jackets since it was still cold outside. She spoke again to him, “Are you excited to go to the museum, Jackson”?

Her voice, as sweet and innocent as a 5th grade girl could be. “Yes, I am”, he replied, careful to not say too much to not look dumb. “What do you want to see there” Kristi asked him, vigilantly approaching the eleven-year-old boy to speak with her.

“I don’t know, maybe the Model T?” he cautiously replied. Kristi continued, “I want to see the outside exhibit of the Ohio Village, I think it will be neat to see”, she confidently said back to him. He looked outside the window and nodded to her that he liked that idea too.

The bus turned from Main Street in Westerville to the ramp taking them up onto the I-270 freeway. I-270 led quickly to I-71 south into Columbus. Soon the bus driver took the exit taking them to the Ohio Historical Society Museum located on the Ohio State Fairgrounds. Jackson noticed there were a lot of school buses in the parking lot though did not comment about so to his seat mate.

As the bus stopped to park, Kristi jumped up from her seat and enthusiastically said, “Come on, let’s go”, as she looked back to Bulluck, still sitting in the seat waiting for the teacher to tell her students what they should do next. Kristi was smart, might be the best in her class and was always the first to raise her hand for a question. With her encouragement, he got up and followed her with the rest of the students getting up and standing behind the two.

When Jackson got close behind Kristi, she sensed him and turned around to smile at him. He returned the look, this time with a little more confidence than before. The teacher collected her students and made way for the museum entrance. She had them standing in a line, boy, girl, boy, girl. Once indoors, the boys grouped together as boys will do and the girls did the same. The tour was quick and once the kid’s bag lunches were served and eaten it was time to visit the outdoor Ohio Village.

Once outside, this time it was Jackson’s turn to look for Kristi and he did so as quickly as the tour began. She was visibly excited to see his face and that he had looked for her first. Jackson followed behind Kristi and her friend’s group, making sure to not be noticed, but nearby just the same.

When the tour ended, the teacher assembled the group again took them back to the waiting bus. Kristi’s friends got on first and a large group of boys followed with Bulluck in the lead. This time, it was he who found an empty seat and motioned for Kristi to join him. She smiled and sat down next to him. She seated on the outside and Bulluck had the window.

“What did you think of the museum, did you like it Jackson”? “Yeah, it was ok”, he replied. “Well, I thought it was really nice and I like sitting beside you too”, Kristi said. Then with a quick motion she reached and touched his hand. Jackson had to think a minute, not knowing exactly what to do next, but fortunately for him, the bus leached forward, and both sets of eyes were drawn frontward.

It was quiet on the ride back, but as the bus got off the freeway onto Main Street again, Kristi looked at Jackson. He felt her looking at him as he gazed outside while the town passed by them. When he turned back to see Kristi, she reached out to hold his hand, and whispered to him, “I like you”.

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Chapter 3

1972

Summer

Springdale (Cincinnati), Ohio

“Zack, check it out, I think they are watching us”, Jackson said to his ten-year-old brother. Zack looked up across the street to where his brother’s gaze through the summer sun led him. Zack did not understand the meaning behind his brother’s interest in the twins from across the street but nodded yes, that he saw them looking at he and his brother.

The Mayflower Moving Company’s men continued to unload the truck into what was the 7th house, Jackson and Zack had lived in since being born. Jackson had a one more relocation under his belt than his brother, but that was just because he is two years older.

One of the girls noticed the conversation the brothers were having and made a nervous wave at the two. Jackson noticed and said to his brother, “if Mom asks, I am going across the street to meet our new neighbors”. Zack nodded yes back to Jackson, that he would do what his brother asked and turned back to watch the Mayflower men work.

“Hi, I am Jackson Bulluck”, and each girl said back “Hi”. They are twins, both had long blond hair with one having more of a reddish hue the color a strawberry. Both had green eyes and a tan from many days spent at the pool.

“I am Sandy”, “I am Candy”, they continued and added, “We live here” pointing the house behind them. Their home was a nice suburban ranch style home, manicured lawn and painted a darker green with brown shudders.

“What grade are you”? Sandy asked. “I am in sixth and will be going to the school, over there”, Jackson said waving in the direction of an elementary school he had seen, before his dad pulled into the neighborhood.

“We go there too and will be in sixth grade” Candy excitedly said back and added, “maybe we will be in the same class”. “That would be ok”, Jackson replied.

“Jackson, get back over here, help your brother”, Jackson’s father Cecil sharply bellowed from across the street at his oldest son. “I guess I have to go, maybe I can come over sometime and watch TV with you”? Jackson asked the girls. “Ok”, Candy said before her sister Sandy could speak up.

Jackson’s blue eyes and Candy’s green eyes met for a few quick seconds, which turned into smiles for each.

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Chapter 4

1972

Fall, 6th Grade

Springdale, Ohio

“What are you doing”, Zack asked Jackson standing beside the freezer by the back door to the garage. “Nothing! Go find something to do”, Jackson snapped back dismissing his brother. Zack turned back around and went back inside the house from the side garage door. Jackson returned to what he was doing, which for him was important and he did not want his family to know what was going on.

He carefully opened the small plastic bag which held inside a gift for his now girlfriend Candy. When school started, the two did indeed have classes together and shared the lunch period. They would smile at each other, sometimes pass notes, and even do homework at her house. It was Jackson’s first real romance and seemed to be the same for Candy.

Inside the plastic bag, was a small ring with a green stone that he had purchased at the Tri-County Mall. His father insisted he work, so Jackson choose to be a paperboy. He saved his money, and now would really show Candy how much he liked her. Carefully, he looked at the ring and placed it on the silver colored wrapping paper he had found in the garage from last Christmas. “Mom won’t care if I use this”, Jackson said to himself while wrapping a red ribbon around the now wrapped gift.

Jackson heard a car pull up outside which he knew had to be his father, so he quickly finished the gift and placed it back into the bag and his pocket. “I will give this to her tomorrow”, he said as his father opened the garage door.

“Well, that is it”, Candy said to Jackson as she closed her book. “Yep it is, thank you Candy for helping me with my homework”, Jackson replied. “I like working with you Jackson, you are nice and polite”, Candy continued to which Jackson smiled back.

“Hey, I have something to show you Candy, but we need to go outside, is that ok”? “Ok, that is fine, follow me Jackson”, as Candy reached out for his hand and led them to outside to the east side of the house. “So, what do you want to show me”, Candy asked Jackson with a tinge of expectation in her voice.

“This, I want to show you this”, Jackson said while reaching into his pocket to pull out the small package. Candy looked at the gift and back to Jackson and said, “This is for me”? “Yes, yes, it is, open it please”, Jackson said back excitedly.

Candy opened the package; saw the ring which brought smiles and a giggle. “This is so nice, thank you, thank you Jackson; nobody has ever given me a ring”. Jackson also was just as happy as Candy as he said, “you are welcome Cand”. He did not get out the last vowel because Candy leaned up and gave Jackson his first kiss. Her lips were soft, supple, and tentative in her touch to him. Jackson was awash in her scent of strawberries to which matched her shoulder length hair. As quick as the kiss began, it stopped, and she leaned back and looked at him.

"Candy, get in here”, a deep male voice broke the silence between the two. Her eyes gave a twinkle to go with the smile to say “That is my father, I need to go” without uttering another word.

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Chapter 5

1973

Spring

6th Grade, 12 years old

Springdale, Ohio

Jackson looked up from his book and across home room, to see the new girl, Lisa sit down in the second seat, in the first row. She sees him looking at her and smiled. He can see from his own seat halfway over from where she sits her shiny, black, shoulder length hair. It is a shade the color of a black onyx stone. Her eyes match her hair, deep, dark like a mysterious night in the Mediterranean. She hides the side of her face with her hair, why he does not know, other than she seemed intent about keeping a wide swath of hair covering something.

“Ring Ding” goes the bell, ending home room. Lisa quickly gathers her books, and Jackson jumps from his seat trying to meet her only to get caught on the desk with a pocket in his pants, almost knocking the whole thing over.

“Crap”, he said aloud, but not loud enough for her to hear. Would not have mattered anyway, she was long gone. At lunch Jackson saw Lisa sitting alone and he proceeded to her table.

“Lisa, hi, I am Jackson, Jackson Bulluck, can I sit with you”? He asks, to which she looks up, nods a yes and continues to empty out her brown paper lunch bag. He is sitting directly across from her and when she looks up, he sees a 3-inch scar on her cheek.

“A dog bite, that was how it happened, I was four”, she volunteered without him asking. “You were wondering, right”? “Yeah, I guess, maybe, I don’t know”, he responded back. A dog bite, wow that must have hurt he thought to himself and wondered if his Old English sheepdog, Muffin, ever wanted to bite him.

“It was my dog, Sasha, a Siberian Husky. She never liked me and was my dad’s that he got before I was born” Lisa continued. “Oh, what happened to it after the bite”? Jackson sensitively asked, not really wanting to hear what she might say next.

“My dad sold the dog to a friend of his, I guess everything is ok with her”, Lisa replied. They continued eating in silence until the next bell rang out.

“Lisa, do you live around here or take a bus”? Jackson asked and continued, “I live behind the school”. “Great, I live over there point down the hall to the open doors”. “You live here, at school Jackson”? She inquired with a smile.

Jackson replied, “No, no we live across the street, Lima Lane, that way”, he said still pointing down the hall. “Why do you ask where I live”? She asked pensively. “No reason really, I just thought that maybe we could walk home together, maybe”? Jackson replied.

Lisa thought for a moment, looked at Jackson, went to say, though was interrupted, “Ring Ding, Ring Ding”, the second bell reverberated in the hall letting both know they were late form their next class. “See you Jackson”, Lisa stated, and turned to run to her class, to which he yelled back to her, “Yeah, that would be great”.

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Chapter 6

1973

Fall, 7th Grade

Springdale, Ohio

“Why don’t you ride the school bus, Jackson”, his mother said this morning, knowing her son would be walking to Princeton Middle school, as he did every school morning. “I don’t like the bus, and the walk helps with my training for cross country”, Jackson said back. “Ok well, have a good day”, his mother said as her oldest son left out the back door of their house.

At Bulluck’s first class, there she is, just like every day, sitting in a seat beside his on the back row. Roxanna is her name, she from Lincoln Heights. Majestically, meticulously groomed tightly curled long dark hair, with almond eyes and a darker skin tone than was like the girls in his elementary school.

“Hi”, from him to her with a quick “hi” in return. They spent the year sitting beside each other in that 7th grade home room. He thought about her a lot, though could not get up enough courage to say much more than, “hi” to her each day.

In the seventh grade, Jackson’s father permitted his son to grow his hair long, shoulder length for the first time. Maybe that was not a look that appealed to Roxanne. Or maybe it did, and that is why she smiled each day and returned his greeting? He would not know, because he did not try.

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Chapter 7

1974

October

8th Grade, 13 years old

Washington C. H., Ohio

“We’re moving Mom, again? Jackson whined to his mother, “I just lettered in Cross Country, earned a Princeton jacket and everything”. Jackson had just learned his family would be leaving Cincinnati for a small town called named Washington Court House.

“Jackson, you know I am going to have a baby and your father’s new company is going to expand from here to Columbus and Cleveland.

It will be better for us to be closer to be living in the middle of the state, instead of down here”. She continued, “and with your Grandma retiring, she can help me with the baby”. “You and your brother will be just fine”. “I guess so”, Bulluck replied and headed up stairs to his room, thinking this was going to be the 8th move in his lifetime, five elementary schools and now two Middle schools.

“Hi, I am Shannon”, she introduced herself on Jackson’s first day, in the new school, located in a small town, in farm and pig country; “do you want to sit with us for lunch Jackson”? “Yeah, I guess”, he said back and took a seat. He was wearing his red and gray Princeton Middle School Cross-Country jacket over top his flannel shirt, jeans, and Converse Chuck Taylors.

“You moved here from Cincinnati”? Shannon continued, “You went to the Bellaire Elementary school here in the 3rd grade, didn’t you”? To which Jackson nodded a yes.

“Yes, I have lived here before”, Jackson replied. Shannon continued, “Well, not much has changed, but you look a lot older, cool, and yeah cool”.

She said with a big smile showcased by her long shoulder length brunette hair and brown eyes. “Do you want my phone number Jackson”?

“Ok, I mean yes, I do, what is it please”? Jackson quickly responded. The conversation continued between the two with the others at the table discreetly listening in.

Jackson walked home that day, to which would be what he would always do since his house was only a block away. He thought to himself, “not a bad first day, I might already have a girlfriend and her phone number, maybe this place won’t be so bad”.

Later that night, Shannon and Jackson talked and even though she was not that much interested in him. They had a fun conversation and Jackson gained a friend in her and later with her brother Bill.

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Chapter 8

The Eight Grade Cheerleaders ...

“Are there anything better than cheerleaders”? Bulluck did not think so. To him, they made up a perfect storm of long hair, bronze tan skin, unless it was basketball season, soft colorful school sweaters, short skirts, big smiles, and genuine decency. For him, to have the approval of a, “cheerleader” was nothing less than pure pleasure.

1974

November

8th Grade, 14 years old

Washington C. H., Ohio

“Jackson, follow me”, Patricia said looking intensely into his late afternoon sleepy eyes. “Ok, sure”, he said back following Patricia out the side door of the Middle school after the last bell of the day had rang. Down the stairs he chased her, watching her shoulder length brunette hair bounce in sync with the ripples in her cheerleader skirt. Around a corner of the stone and brick building she ran.

As Jackson turned the corner, there she was stopped at the edge just out of his sight leading to an abrupt collision of the two. She threw her arms around his shoulders and with all her might, she kissed him.

First on the lips, then with her tongue, twisting and turning in each teen’s mouth, their second strongest muscles would do a fierce dance of the sort. How long had she been thinking of this moment? Had it been from their last class together that day? Could it have been from their call the previous night?

She was the first girlfriend he had since moving to the sticks, to go to yet another school made of bricks. As they continued kissing, he became lost in a procession of teenage scents from perfume to freshly washed hair, and cherry lip balm. But the most lasting emotion of the moment was the feel of her up against him lost in the kiss.

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Chapter 9

1974

Christmas Break

“Bill, come on man, hurry up”, Jackson yelled at his buddy, Shannon’s brother. “I want to get to Patricia’s house”. “Sure man, with the snow, I didn’t think we were going to hang out tonight”, Bill replied. Jackson looked up into the blackish gray night sky with half inch-wide snowflakes highlighted in white flickering about on their way down from the clouds above.

“It’s a good night for snow, we might get four inches, which will make for a good sledding day, man”, Jackson replied. “Cool”, his friend replied.

The snow was falling heavy by the time the boys made it to Patricia's house. She met them with a friend of hers named Julie on the street outside her home. Everyone had winter coats, gloves, and hats on, it was getting cold, now past 8:00pm.

“Come here”, Patricia said to Jackson followed by, “you come here yourself” from him. They kissed, long and slow, unaware that both their friends were watching. The soft white flakes continued to fall to create a velvet carpet on the frozen Midwest ground. Each held the other’s hand’s as they kissed. The touch of the other’s hand confirmed their, "like" for each other, and the shared kiss preserved their momentary bond.

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To be continued tomorrow, Chapters 1 through 12.