Twelve Hours

I was 13, maybe just 14, years of age.  Some things, you never forget.

Recently, around that time, I had broken up with my very first girlfriend Eve (not her real name), who was a knockout.  She was a few months older.  But I was drawn to hotter and flashier girls who had spontaneously appeared in the Brooklyn neighborhood known as Sheepshead Bay.  

Eve, a classmate, wanted me back, I was told by a third party.  

Problem was, Eve and I never really communicated very well.  A third party would often be involved in relaying messages back and forth to Eve and me. 

Eve planned a party, allegedly to get us back together--or so I was told.  I was not interested in resuming our past relationship.  But I went to the party.

During the party, I made out with Eve and another girl (let's call her Kathy) to show to Eve that I did not want to be exclusive with Eve.  I was sure that the message was accurately sent.    

On the way home, two very older roughnecks attacked me and my friend.  We escaped easily.  They were drunk.

The next day, three tough and older guys approached me, in the Sheepshead Theater.  One guy (Leo, not his name) smacked me in the back of the head and then landed two weak punches to the face.  Originally, I felt I had done wrong by making out with Kathy, as Leo had stated.  However, I wanted to kill Leo if he would hit me with one more punch.  But there was no third puch.  

Had there been a third punch, I felt for sure that I would have retaliated and beaten Leo.  But, would the other two guys jump on me during the fight?  Three vs. one?  Unknown ending.  Unknown future.

Leo's ire was that I had made out with Kathy the night before at Eve's party.  Leo had been connected to Kathy, which I did not know.  

Days later, Kathy made Leo apologize to me for attacking me.  The apology happened at a confraternity dance.  Bewildered, I accepted the apology. Kathy was in charge.  I thanked her for that, in my heart, tho I was a bit confused.

Kathy was a pretty and powerful girl.  I liked her a lot.  But we never really dated, only kissing and hugging on the dance floor when the party lights went out.  We had lost contact after Eve's party, as I recall.

That Sheepshead Bay Theater event haunted me for decades.  I felt like a punk.  That event still haunts me now.  But not nearly as much.