Mother and Daughter Talk (Part 1)
Kathryn M. Burke
"Hi, Mom."
"Hello, Jenny. What's up?"
"Oh, nothing much."
"Daddy and I haven't heard a lot from you since you started college."
"Well, I've been pretty busy."
"Doing well in your classes?"
"I think so."
"So what's the reason for this call? You need money?"
"I don't need money, Mom."
"Then what? Out with it."
"Well, you see . . . I have a boyfriend."
Deep silence. "Oh, you do?"
"Yes."
"What's his name?"
"Jeremy."
"Is he nice?"
"Of course he's nice, Mom! I wouldn't go out with some jerk."
"I hope not. When you say he's your boyfriend, does that mean . . ."
"Mean what, Mom?"
"That you've slept with him?"
Big sigh. "Yes, I've slept with him."
"I see. Is he your first?"
"Yes."
"So he took your virginity."
"Yes, he deflowered me."
"Ugh! I hate that word."
"I kind of like it. It's so pretty."
"The act isn't very pretty. Did it hurt?"
"Of course it hurt, Mom. It always hurts a girl. Didn't it hurt you?"
"We're not here to talk about me."
"You're not gonna tell me what your first time was like?"
"Let's just say it wasn't a very good experience."
"Why not, Mom?"
"Because the man wasn't really concerned about me--he was basically focused on his own pleasure."
"That doesn't sound so nice."
"It wasn't."
"Well, Jeremy's nothing like that."
"Glad to hear it. When did this happen?"
"About two months ago."
"Two months ago! You were only in college about a month."
"That's right, Mom."
"You didn't waste any time, did you?"
"Mom, it wasn't like that. Anyway, I'm an adult. I turned eighteen five months ago, as you know."
"How old is Jeremy?"
"A couple of months older--almost nineteen."
"So . . . you went out on a few dates with him, and then slept with him?"
"Gee, Mom, do I really have to tell you? It's kind of private."
"I think I should know, dear. I'm just trying to look after you. For example, it would be nice if you were protected, since most guys can't seem to bother."
"I am, Mom."
"You are?"
"Yes."
"Well, that's a relief. At least you won't get knocked up."
"For heaven's sake, Mom, do you have to be so vulgar?"
"I just want to know how this happened. I hope you at least went out with him a few times before--"
"It wasn't quite like that."
"Jenny, you're not going to tell me you slept with him on the first date. How could you do such a thing? You'll get a reputation!"
"Mom, listen. Jeremy's in one of my classes--on the American novel. And one day a few weeks after the semester started, he came up to me after class and just blurted out, 'You're really smart!'
"Well, you
are
smart."
"Maybe, but I've already read some of the books we're studying in the class, so I have a lot to say about them. I guess that impressed him. He seemed kind of clumsy and awkward to me. In fact, he was breathing hard when he was talking to me, as if he was super-shy around women. That struck me as really cute!"
"So he asked you out after that?"
"Well, no, not exactly."
"What does that mean?"
"I'm trying to tell you! A few days later, I was coming out of the library pretty late, around eleven p.m., and was heading home to that crappy boarding house you found for me."
"That place is costing us a pretty penny, young lady!"
"Okay, fine. I guess it's better than a dorm. Anyway, I didn't notice that Jeremy was following me."
"Following you! You mean he's a stalker?"
"Mom, he's not a stalker. So I got to my house and walked into my room--and, well, Jeremy was right there."
"He forced his way into your room? Jesus!"
"I wouldn't say he did exactly that. But I think he knew he may have been doing something he shouldn't. I looked him up and down and said, 'Jeremy, you really shouldn't be here.' He just stood there, huffing and puffing as if he'd run a marathon or something."
"It sounds terrifying!"
"Mom, I swear to you, he was more scared than I was. Maybe he'd never been alone with a girl before. He just said, in this breathless voice, 'I think you're fabulous.' And he just kept staring at me with these big eyes."
"Don't tell me he--"
"Then he just came toward me, and I guess I managed to pin myself against the inside of the door to my room, and he--"
"What did he do?"
"He kissed me."
"Kissed you!"
"Yes. It was such a darling little kiss! He just bent forward and kissed me. The only parts of our bodies that were touching were our lips. His lips were trembling--I tell you, Mom, he was petrified!"
"He should have been--invading a girl's room like that!"
"He didn't invade my room, Mom."
"It sure sounds like it to me!"
"Well, maybe he did, but I knew him--it wasn't as if he was a stranger. Anyway, we had this really nice, soft, tender kiss. It was wonderful!"
"I still hope you told him where to get off."
"Of course I didn't, Mom. You have to handle these things very delicately. I didn't want to traumatize him."
"
You
didn't want to traumatize
him?
That's rich!"
"Anyway, I
liked
being kissed. And I have to say, I like the idea that some guy is sort of obsessed with me. It's very flattering."
"There are plenty of men out there who might get obsessed with you. You're a very pretty girl."
"Well, he's the first."
"What happened then?"
"I just couldn't help throwing my arms around his neck and kissing back. And I suppose I pressed my body up against his."
"Oh, God."
"Well, Mom, what do you expect? Who doesn't like being kissed? Who doesn't like being the object of someone's affection?"
"What did he do?"
"I guess he was a little surprised that I kissed back. So he put his arms around my waist, and we just kissed and snuggled for a bit."