Love of My Life #2

Tommy Stevenson was my best friend in kindergarten. We went to the same school and church, which put us together six days a week. I absolutely loved Tommy. Not really a romantic kind of love, but as deep a friendship love as a 5-year-old is capable of.

I don't remember not having fun with Tommy. We were always laughing together and having a great time. His parents owned a ranch outside Roswell, New Mexico, and I loved going out there. I even got to spend the night out there a couple of times. I was intrigued by the fact that Tommy's mom had to drive a good ten minutes up to the highway just to check their mail.

There was something wrong with Tommy's legs. I never knew what it was, but it was very noticeable when he walked. I was curious about that, but my mom had told me that under no circumstances was I to ever ask Tommy about his legs, and was she making herself clear?

I utterly adored Tommy. He wasn't rough and mean like a lot of the other boys were. He was a little cowboy. He always wore Wranglers and boots and a belt with a big silver buckle. I didn't even have any girlfriends in kindergarten. I didn't need them. I had Tommy. He was a lot more fun, anyway.

"I love Tommy," I used to tell my mom. "When I grow up, I'm going to marry him and push him around in his wheelchair." I figured that if his legs were as bad as they were at age 5, they probably wouldn't work at all by the time he was grown up.

We moved away after that year. I don't know what ever happened to Tommy. I certainly hope he's not in a wheelchair. He's probably living on a ranch somewhere. I hope life has been good to him. I just loved that boy.