Stage: Srunchies, Boobs and Love

Insight: A look into the beginnings of our relationship

Song: Ditty: Paperboy

Despite the over reliance on the fanny pack growing up and naked uncle she once encountered passed out on the toilet after a Kuhn party, Jodie made it through childhood and to high school fairly unscathed. Once at Kirkwood, Jodie developed a great group of friends, known as the “Fab 5”.

Now this was a group that was not overly concerned with the current fashion trends, but rather chose comfort over style at school (a dramatic difference from what I see today in the classroom and hallways). So, Jodie’s first three years of high school featured a rotating wardrobe that consisted of overalls, baggy hooded sweatshirts, a North Face fleece, birkenstocks and of course, hair pulled back with a scrunchie. Most the time she looked as if she was going camping.

Then senior year came around. And Jodie began to dress a little bit more like a high school girl and not a middle school boy. One day while walking through the hallway, a friend looked at Jodie’s new outfit that consisted of a short skirt and a rather tight shirt and observed loud enough for the entire senior hallway to hear, “Jodie Kuhn, when did you get boobs?”

Jodie was obviously mortified and didn’t wear a tight shirt again until sophomore year of college. But the conversation had lingering effects, as a young Christopher Allen pondered that day, “Hmmm…. Jodie Kuhn with boobs. This issue needs further investigation.” And so the relationship began.

When you are first in love, everything goes to the extreme. I remember that Jodie and I would not just kiss, but rather slobber all over each other for about three hours at a time. I mean, how long is the movie Braveheart? Long enough that you had to switch VCR tapes halfway through.

Anyway, we would make out that entire time. I look back now and think how in the world??? Fast forward to the present and things have changed just a bit. Just yesterday, I discovered that her toothbrush bristles were touching my toothbrush bristles and I had what can only be described as a minor breakdown. Sometimes Jodie will ask, “want to make out?” And all I can think about is that tuna sandwich she had for lunch and the lingering affects on her breath. “Nah, I’m good” is how I reply.

It is sometimes hard to look back and think of the extreme emotions that her and I shared. So, it might just be easier to show you. That summer she documented just about everything we did. Anyway, it is an impressive list.

I knew that first summer that she was going to be the love of my life. It didn’t always go as planned and of course there were ups and downs, break-ups and get-back-togethers, etc… but in the long run, all those things happened for a reason. I wouldn’t change anything.