Dating?

There were several other girls I used to “Date” but another memorable one was “Rosie” She lived just outside the English Woods complex on a large cone shaped hill. There was a road that led to the house which looked like the “Munster’s Mansion” on TV. but there was a sheer drop off on the other 3 sides. A bunch of us would gather at her house and play cards or spin the bottle or charades. We went to the movies a few times, but in the afternoon as it was cheaper than at night. We used to walk about 3 miles to get to the theater and really enjoyed the time getting there talking and fooling around. We also would organize bicycle field trips. Sometimes as many as 20-25 friends on bikes. We were like a un-motorized motorcycle gang. One time we biked all the way to Mt. Airy forest which was close to 10 miles away.

I remember the first time in my life I got drunk. We were at a Christmas party at Rosie’s grandmothers house. It was a beautiful winter evening with snow falling as large as quarters gently floating to the ground. Her Grandma asked if I would like a drink. I was only 17 at the time but no one had ever offered me alcohol before so what the heck, why not? She gave me a water glass with about 3 “ of Sloe Gin, I don’t know if she diluted it or if it was a mixed drink. It tasted really good to me, something like a spicy Kool-Aid. I don’t know how many I had, quite a few I think but if was not affecting me at all. When it came time for us to leave and we stepped out into the cold winter air it started to hit me. We had only gone a few steps when everything started spinning. I was finding it difficult to walk. We managed to get to where a few other friends had gathered. My mother and sister had moved from English woods a day or two prior to this and the only thing they knew was to take me to the empty apartment as it was still heated, I still had the key. I remember them setting me down on the floor on an old quilt. I can’t remember what happened after that, I must have passed out. I have often wondered if my mother ever found out or when and how I got home.