HANNAH AND KISS 1960

A BOY AND GIRL IN LONDON IN 1960 AND HER MOTHER AND A KISS

Ah guess ye want
tae see Hannah?
Mrs Scot said

yes if I can
I said

she stood at her door
like a fierce dog

guess ye can
she said unsmiling
and moved to let me pass
HANNAH
she bellowed
THE BOY'S  HAUR

I stood in the passage
looking at her in hair curlers
and a cigarette clamped
at the side of her mouth

be it suin aam
in th' lavvy
Hannah said

she's in th' bog
Mrs Scot said

I nodded and stood
as she walked past me
into the kitchen
there was a smell
of boiled cabbage
filtering towards me

the toilet door opened
and Hannah came out
sorry about that
she said
let's go in my room
out of Mum's way

so I followed her
into her bedroom
and she shut the door

she's in a mood
Hannah said
Dad's been winding her up
before he went to work
now I have the full out
sit down on the bed
she added

so I sat on her bed
and she sat beside me
won't your mum mind me
sitting on the bed?

probably but if she
comes in we'll just get off
and smile at her
as if we'd forgotten
Hannah said  

I listened out
for her mother's footsteps

want to kiss me?
Hannah said

I hadn't thought about it
even after she mentioned it
the other day
did you want me to?
I said

do you want to?
she said

I looked at her
she was gazing
at me expectantly

I've not kissed a girl before
I said

(although Fay and I
had kissed but that
was different and she
had gone off with
her mother now)

it's easy you just kiss
Hannah said

I sat looking at her
waiting for something
to happen

like this
she said
and kissed me on the lips

I held my breath
sensing her lips on mine
and not sure if
I was allowed
to breathe or not

she moved away a little
and stared at me
like that?
she said

I nodded

was it good?

I nodded my head
and yes it was
I said
taking a deep breath
in case she kissed
me again

I hesitated
and then moved forward
and kissed her cheek
then moved away

she smiled and just
as she was about
to kiss me once more

a voice said
whit ur ye daein'?
sharply through the door.