Cardenio: Days and Nights in the Wilderness

(One) Vicky

I was ten when I met Vicky. She was eleven and lived a couple of streets away, on the other side of the market garden. We never went out, not even for a walk. She was small with pale skin and long dark hair. She had pretty lips. Her room was clean and perfectly ordered. We sat for hours on her bed kissing. She would never let me touch her breasts or her crease, or see any part of her undressed. When we were not together we sat for long periods on the telephone, not saying anything.

I wanted to come to see her play netball on a Saturday but she wouldn’t allow it. She said I didn’t understand the game and would not enjoy it. We stopped seeing each other after about six weeks. I was hurt to think she had another boyfriend, someone older who went to her school.

Cardenio: Days and Nights in the Wilderness