Ousmane W. 31/365

You really didn’t seem married when we started up.
It couldn’t have been more wrong for us to be together.
I was supposed to be turning your Muslim soul to Christ.
You were turning me into a woman.

Alvin 28/365

My first. You screwed me over and screwed me up so that I’ll never be the same again.
What a shock when you said you went through therapy about it.
Thanks for reconciling with me—a rare gift.

Derek 26/365

You were such a nice boy. Super polite and on some committee that planned all the dances so you were always the first one to ask me. I had to find clever ways to turn you down.

Paul C. 9/365

Of Tom ‘n Paul. Di Janeiro Joe, amazing cartoonist, piano player. I didn’t think you were cute enough or cool enough. I should’ve fallen for you on raw talent alone. I was such a dork. ack phifft.

Greg H. 1/365

My first friend at Ackerman Jr. High, my first boyfriend after The Move. We never kissed, though, because the other Karen, with an “e”, told me not to be friends with you because you were a geek. I was never friends with her, but dummy me, I broke up with you anyway. You were too smart and too lanky and all our moms loved you. They saw what we couldn’t, that you were a catch and that two years out of high school you’d grow into yourself and look like Tom Cruise.