The King’s and my first kiss!

It happened at a Senior League (Luther League—church youth group) event. Winter of 1962-63. In the backseat of someone’s car.

League events were designed for fun — to keep church kids out of trouble and in the church and, supposedly, to be a ministry to non-churched kids. Sadly, I don’t remember speakers or messages or ministry, but I do remember roller skating, sliding, Excelsior Amusement Park, and Wink ‘Em!

To play Wink ‘Em, boys sat in chairs in a circle and girls sat on their laps. One boy’s lap was empty. He had to slyly wink at one of the girls without her guy seeing. When she caught the wink, she was to quickly jump off that guy’s lap and run to the winker’s lap; but her guy was to try to hold her back from doing so. I’m not sure anymore what the point of all this was except that girls got to sit on boys' laps and boys got to handle girls. I wonder how many parents knew or would have approved?

Back to that kiss. As I mentioned before, the King and I were buds. We hung out. Romance was never an element—he was “going” with someone or I was. That night a playful challenge arose among our car full of teens about who could have the longest kiss. So we gave it a shot. No big deal.

The next day, written on my front steps in the newly fallen snow, “Sweet kisses, M.K.” He denied it, but I know he wrote it.

And he waited until July 1965 for another one.

Kiss me and kiss me again; for your love is sweeter than wine. Song of Solomon 1:2