Blind Item #9 - Stranger Things Have Happened - A Himmmm Blind Item - Part 2

We were inseparable every Summer, like a bad dream coming back – we'd terrorize our snotty neighbors.  From bottle rockets and potato guns, to water balloons dropped off the fire escapes on studio lots – we were pirates and soldiers.  Sneaking into windows at night, playing cops and robbers.  Sneaking cigarettes or sips of beer.  We were like those boys in The Sandlot; or Goonies; or the two boys in Big. Like family.  His Dad was gone, so my Dad was like a Dad to us both.  It was great.

As we got older, we'd go to concerts, out on double dates, and dream our teenage plans together.  We'd play ball and drag race.  Bullies stood no chance, and he saved my butt many times.  Bullies might make a crack at me, and Buddy would fly in to defend and protect me.  In exchange? I'd take him backstage to concerts, on studio sets, and to meet stars.  I'd do his book reports and he'd teach me how to talk to girls.  I idolized him like a big brother – and he'd always ask me to explain things to him that he didn't understand.  We were inseparable and every school break was a new adventure for us.  We made plans as we got older, to grow up and go into business together.  He was super smart and wanted to be a huge superstar.  We planned to start our own studio, and we both loved video games and computers.  I taught him how to use my state-of-the-art Tandy 1000. (Don't judge, it was hot back then!).  The only thing greater was our love of comics.  When I took Buddy to England and we met Alan Moore – we could see the future.

But there was always a third wheel; an extra element to our brotherhood.  He had this pesky kid sister always tagging along.  She and I were almost the same age, but she was kind of a quiet, shy, nerdy girl.  I was always old/mature for my age as a kid.  The product of growing up at studios, locations, concerts, and offices.  She was very sensitive and sweet, and always wanted Buddy's approval.  They called her Nin.  Buddy always was hitting on MY big sister, and he knew their flirting drove me mad.  So I used to pretend that his little sister was going to be my wife someday just to anger him.

One day when we were kids, she came strutting into the den in dress-up play clothes dressed like a little bride.  I pretended to be a groom.  She had flowers and asked if I would be HER wife?? After the laughter explosions, I kissed her chubby sweet little cheeks and told her "I DO".  She yelled "YIPEEE!" and danced around in her mom's oversize clunky heels.  When their mom ran in – Nin told her, and their mom laughed too. She snapped a Kodak photo of us in our pretend wedding clothes; said it was fine with her, though we'd have to wait at least 10 more years.  Buddy stopped laughing.  "Stranger things have happened", I said.  He gut punched me, I burped in his face,  and we began wrestling again.  And so it went, year after year for two best buddies.

A few years passed, and shy Nin started to grow out of her shell, and her cute baby fat stage, into a beautiful, brilliant young woman tougher than any boy.  I also noticed a beautiful artistic soul growing in her.  When I found out she was stood up from her school dance (probably because Buddy threatened the boy); I waited until Buddy was asleep on the sofa, and I went to her room and wiped her tears.  I convinced her that the idiot boy must've had diarrhea or something, and crapped his pants.  It's the ONLY explanation for not showing.  She giggled through her tears at my stupidity – but it was working.  I told her I had an idea.  She missed her dance? I'd give it back to her.  She still had her makeup on and hair looking so pretty, so why waste it?  She didn't believe me when I told her how pretty she was.  Everybody else was asleep, so we snuck out her window onto the roof.  I took her little boom box radio and put in a mix-tape I'd given to her earlier of pop songs.  I turned it on softly at her window, we turned off the lights, and with a blanket we crawled onto the shingles to re-create her school dance.

I told her I'd be honored to be her date, if she'd have me - and as "Time After Time" by Cindy Lauper played, I sang to her as we danced, just like a real dance.  She sobbed into my shoulder – as we tenderly swayed with each other. I wiped her cheeks and she smiled.  I saw the warmth in those big, dark eyes.  She held me tight and I kissed her for the first time – which turned out to be the first real kiss for both of us.  Something so gentle, so peaceful and true in that dance of ours.  With Van Morrison's "Into The Mystic", our dancing slowed more.  We lay on the shingles – side by side - talking and holding each other like it was what we'd meant to do forever.  Possibly…it was.  Like neither of us wanted to let go or that moment would slip away from us.  Such a precious, innocent, yet passionate moment of teenage truth there between us.  Still innocent and sweet.  I told her I'd always be hers anytime; she said she felt "safe and not alone anymore".  She fell asleep laying her head on my chest – her last words were telling me she loved the sound of "feeling my heart" in her ears to the music.  I looked up at the stars that gentle Spring night, knowing we were not alone.  I gave a wink upwards to a certain star, and The Cars song "Drive" softly serenaded us to sleep under that canopy.  I've rarely known a more pure, honest, and peaceful moment than that.

Years later she told me it was better than any school dance and she'd had a crush on me since we were little kids.  I shared her feelings. It was almost awkward, as she was almost like a sister to me.  She was the sister of my best friend – which is dangerous, especially when he can beat your ass. Then again? She could beat mine and his asses together by her 17th birthday, so there's that.  She dated boys on and off, but every time we'd see each other we'd both feel something.  But we both knew not to act on it.  We'd whisper lyrics to "Into The Mystic" to each other, winking and laughing – to the confusion of others.  Our secret dance – our perfect kiss.  We were patient.  She dated others; as did I.  But some things you cannot deny or hide.