Something was wrong; I feared something must be wrong with me. One boy in our class smelled; some skin condition caused his odor. So for months I was seized with an increasing fear that that was what was wrong with me -- I too smelled really bad. I finally confided my fear to a friend who naively but strongly denied that I smelled. I was so happy I almost danced my solitary way home. My "smelly" fear eventually faded, but still -- something was still wrong, probably with me.
First Date: I became increasingly aware of girls and social factors as spring brought lighter clothes. Shirley, a girl in my class, gave me a note inviting me to go to a movie with her; that seemed strange but I timidly said yes. So as instructed by her note, on a particular date and time I walked to Ladd army base. The gate guards called her home. Soon a jeep pulled up and 2 MPs drove me to her house where I met her folks. Her Dad was a commanding officer. Then the MPs drove Shirley and I to the movie, waited for us, and drove me back to the gate before taking her home. I don't remember that Shirley and I ever talked, before, during or after.
First kiss: Summer evening play occasionally involved couples. One night I was really excited to be with Pat and others outside her home, since her bedroom in the basement of her home had a separate entrance. The couples we were with somehow challenged us to kiss. Hiding my fears and excitement, I emulated the cowboy movie heros I had seen and pressed my lips hard against hers. She said I almost broke her teeth.
First dance: Monthly dances were sponsored by some adult organization for 7th and 8th graders. For these dances, I found that if I and a friend first bought and drank a pint of vodka mixed with soft drinks, then I would actually get up the courage to ask a girl to dance.