Boyfriends

I read my first post today and what was I thinking when I was seven? What parents who let their first grader stay up and watch The Smother's Brothers would vote for Nixon? Please. I myself never voted for a winning president until Bill Clinton. I was on my way to vote for Jimmy Carter in my first Presidential election when I heard him concede the election on the radio. I voted anyway, but it took a little of the fun out of it. The democrats in Hawaii probably just stayed home. But, back to The Smother's Brothers because I really need to confess something. Tommy Smothers was my first boyfriend. I was madly in love with him. Sadly for Tommy it didn't last long before Tom Jones stole my heart. That voice and that accent was more than an eight year old could handle. In between Tommy and Tom there were week ends with Bobby Sherman, Michael Nesmith and David Cassidy, but they never really meant much to me. They were just sort of flings. It was rather late in life, thirteen, that I met the man who was destined to change me forever, Clark Gable. I had read Gone With the Wind so I was really excited when my mother took me to see the movie at the Fox Theater in Anaheim. The first time you see Clark is the barbeque at Twelve Oaks. The camera pans down the stairs and there he is grinning up at you. I gasped out loud and my thirteen year old body slipped down the chair almost on to the floor. My mother just reached over and picked me back up without saying a word. I sat there silently sobbing tears of joy that I had finally found my soul mate. Sorry Tommy, Tom, Bobby, Michael, and David, I have left you for Clark Gable. I realized, of course, that he was dead, but it didn't matter to me, not even the grave could keep us apart. My relationship with Clark ended up being one of the longest of my life (including my first marriage). I don't remember how it ended. What twisted act of fate made me lose interest? It was not sudden, it was gradual and pretty heartless on my part. Actually, thinking back, I was pretty cruel to all of them. I would profess love one day and then casually move on and not even tell them I was leaving. I hope they have forgiven me and have learned to cope with the loss. Hopefully, I have softened through the years and when I break up with Steve Martin I can be a bit more kind.