by Keith Hillman

Created on: January 11, 2008

He was so excited! For years he has seen his older sister preening herself before her mirror in preparation for her latest date! Now it was his turn!

It was to be his first date. His rite of passage into manhood! Ok, he was only five feet tall and had a chin as smooth as a baby's bum! But now it was time to put away his Action man and claim his own personal Barbie doll!

What to wear. Now there's a problem. Until today he put on whatever his Mum chose for him. But today, for the first time in his life, HE was going to decide! Should it be the laid back look with jeans and a tee shirt, or that smart pair of Chinos he had refused to acknowledge when he was given them back in the summer?

He looked at his hair. It never seemed important until today. He turned his head one way then the other. Should he go get the kitchen scissors and lop off the bit that always stuck up at the back? Sudden horror! That zit! It wasn't there this morning. Why did it choose today to glow like a beacon on his nose?

He felt sick. His stomach gurgled. He felt giddy. Pull yourself together! Today is the first day of the rest of your life. Your grown up life.

He swaggered up the road toward the park. He glanced at his watch. Would she be waiting for him? Would he be first to arrive? Nearly there.

He walked over to third bench on the right beside the duck pond. She wasn't there yet, but then he was a little early. Ten minutes later he was still waiting. But then girls like to keep boys waiting. At least, that's what his sister told him.

The sun went down. The playground emptied and the ducks swam back to the island.

He sniffed as he tried to stop a tear trickling down his cheek. It was true what they said about girls. He should have listened to his mates. He should have gone with them this evening. They were finishing the camp they were building in the woods. They were having fun.

He had been stood up on his first date.

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