What is it with kids and fire???
When I was 13, I was madly in love with this 15 year old boy, Chris, who lived in the development next to mine. Between the 2 communities was a wooded park with a really big creek running through the center. The creek and the bridge over it acted as a dividing line between the 2 neighborhood 'gangs'.
One summer night a girlfriend and I went to the park after dark because we heard that Chris and his friends like to go there and hang-out on their side of the park, and we thought this would be a good way to get his attention. Now you have to know that I was the biggest goody-goody of the neighborhood... I never went anywhere I wasn't supposed to and never hung-out with troublemakers. Chris was a really sweet guy, but he did have rowdy friends, and when my friend and I showed up, the boys started acting-up to impress us.
Well, it went from who can throw things the furthest and who can whistle the loudest to who can start the biggest fire. The boys teamed up and took every piece of loose wood they could find and kept building their blazes higher and higher. One eventually engulfed a nearby park bench, and we all knew we were in trouble when sparks started landing on the grass and leaves near by and they started to smolder. Next thing we knew we heard sirens coming from both sides of the park, and everyone bolted in different directions. I remember standing there thinking, oh good they're coming to put out the fires - never dreaming that if I'm caught standing there I'd be in trouble or at least forced to rat out the boys who started it all.
My girlfriend ran off toward home, and suddenly someone grabbed my arm and pulled me into the woods... it was Chris. I didn't even know that he knew I existed, but there I was running as fast as I could through the bushes with him holding my hand; I was loving every scratch and scrape I was getting. Well next thing I knew we were crouched in some weeds and there are cops everywhere looking for the kids involved. I remember him holding on to me to keep me out of sight and I was just thrilled to be so close to him. He continued to dart us from weed patch to bush whenever the coast was clear until we eventually made it out of the park about an hour later. We didn't say too much to each other, but I thanked him for getting me out of there.
The next day we found out that all of the other kids were caught by police, even my girlfriend, and some of the boys were arrested for starting the fires. Chris and I never really talked about what happened that night, but a week later at a friend's party he gave me my first real kiss... I remember it was awesome! I'll never forget the night of the fires or the boy who gave me 2 of the biggest thrills of my life. Thanks, Chris!
