The following “letter” is part of the continuing series from the unpublished novel by James Garrett, “Benicia Letters Once More”. He does not plan to publish the book but instead is choosing to share the letters with the readers of the Benicia Herald. The letters continue the storyline of Garrett’s first novel “Benicia and Letters of Love”. Each “letter” tells of love in one of its many forms from a separate point of view. Benicia is represented prominently in the letters because of Garrett’s deep fondness for the city of Benicia. He hopes readers see themselves or others they know in the letters because the concept of “Love” is universal.

Jim,
My memory of first love is sneaking into the swimming pool with a girl one summer night after 9:00. That was when Benicia High School was still downtown. The field where we had track practice and baseball practice when the City Diamond and Sanborn Field were too wet to be on is where the Olympic size pool is now. I know you know all that because we shared some of the same times and scenes. A lot of the later arrivals don’t know that information.
Man, I was in love with that girl for about two years, junior through senior years. Graduation came and she moved on and so did I, but there were some good memories.
It didn’t start out that way. We were by the pool and were talking about how warm the night was when I came up with the idea of going for a swim. The wall was easy to get over then and probably is now. I sat on the top and helped her over. She was wearing shorts and I had on what I usually wore in those days, Levi’s, white “T” shirt and loafers.
We went to the east end of the pool and set our watches and things from our pockets on a bench. Then we quietly walked down the steps into the pool. There were only two small pole lights which were turned on that night.
The water felt great and looking at the girl felt great especially when her shorts and then blouse got wet. It was the closest I had ever been to seeing a girl in the nude. The cloth clung to her. It was better than seeing her in a swimsuit.
That was the closest I ever got to see any part of her she didn’t want me to see. She was a good and fun loving girl and understood when to say “No”. We would park and make out, but she knew what she wanted out of life. At that time in her life part of what she wanted was to have me around. That was fine with me, but at times it was frustrating.
We were probably not in the pool more than half an hour, but it was a good time. Getting back over the wall was easier than going over it the first time. Our clothes got some dirt streaks, but I thought it was all OK. The next day the girl told me she had helped her mother wash clothes that morning to make sure she didn’t see the marks. I just dumped my clothes in the hamper when I got home. My parents had seen my clothes dirty and wet before.
It was a good half hour of time in the pool.
Dan

James Garrett is a lifelong resident of Benicia and a former teacher at Benicia High School. He is the author of the following novels: “Benicia and Letters of Love,” “The Mansion Stories,” “Chief Salt,” and “One Great Season, 9-0!” He also compiled a three-volume work titled “The Golden Era: Benicia High School Football, The 1948 through 1960 Seasons, “A” History with Comments.”
He can be contacted at jgstoriesnpoetry@aol.com.

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