My Friend, Kenny Walkington

February 18, 2014


MY FRIEND KENNY WALKINGTON

The summer of 1965 will be the summer of my first taste of unrequited love. There were a few crushes but the crushes never knew I was alive. One of my best friends in high school, Judy Fitcher, introduced her friends to her cousin, Kenneth Walkington who came to spend the summer of 1965 with her family.  Judy was not that happy that she would be saddled with hosting Kenny who was sent North as punishment for his out-of-control behavior.

From the moment I set my eyes on Kenny with his sapphire blue eyes, olive skin and statuesque height; I was smitten. He was a Navy Brat who was living in Virginia Beach because his father was stationed in Norfolk. He was none to pleased to be forced to stay with his Aunt and Uncle but he was determined to still have a fun summer.  Although I was dating someone, Kenny and I became friends. We would have intense conversations about books, music, surfing and culture difference.

Kenny's Southern accent made my heart beat a tad faster; he was my image of a Rhett Butler type. Unfortunately in this relationship, I was the one carrying a torch for him. He was as charming as Clark Gable was in "Gone With The Wind" but I was no Scarlet O'Hara. At 16, I was an awkward flat-chested teenage girl with almost no experience with boys who could charm the panties off me. Yes, I was a virgin and intended to stay one until my wedding, that is what a girl did in the 1960's.

Most importantly Kenny knew how to make me laugh but he also knew how to make me uncomfortable. I did not realize at that time it was sexual tension. I flirted with him while still dating another boy but in the end it was not in the stars to be with Richie that summer. Richie was aware that my family had moved from Winthrop to Hamilton 25 miles to the north and would only be staying with friends and relatives for a spattering of time throughout the summer.

Over a span of a few days, I had become quite enamored with Kenny and his charming ways. One afternoon at the beach when it was apparent, my boyfriend did not join our clique on the wall, Kenny asked if I would walk home with him. He attempted to cheer me up on our walk home by stating that no one should treat a lady in that manner. When Richie called looking for me at Judy's, Kenny took the phone and asked where they had been during the afternoon. Richie answered they were cruising for girls at Breakheart Reservation.  Kenny took them to task and reported back to me what had transpired on the phone call. Being so naive, I did not know that he was just playing on my emotions. I did fall for his gallant manner.

That evening Ritchie gave me a filmy excuse for his absences and we made plan to go out with Judy and Ritchie's friend Al.  With butterflies in my stomach, I had a feeling that Richie would not keep our date. After a call to Judy to see if she had received a call from Al, she replied negatively. When it was after 8:00 PM, I called her again and Kenny answered.

He told me that Judy was not home, tears formed in my eyes and my voice was cracking in response to his statement, "I should have known...the coward he could not break up with me in person."

After a few seconds Ken asked if I would like to go into town (Boston) with him to see "Sandpiper" a movie staring Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton. With a moments thought I replied, "I would love to go and forget I was stood up."

We meet at the bus stop across from the high school and continue on to Boston. The night was magically to me; I was out with Kenny Walkington. To this day, I remember parts of that evening where we laughed and flirted as we were on a real date. In reality Kenny would never want me for a girlfriend but a girl could fantasized. During one of our curbside conversation, Kenny plainly told me that the girl of his dream was blonde, curvy, blue-eyed and from a wealthy family.

Knowing his preference in girlfriends did not stop me from wishing and hoping he would find me attractive. Over the summer, when I was in Winthrop we would find ourselves being drawn together by circumstance and friends. We continued our curbside conversations and walks from the beach. Evidently we became a tad intimate; strolls at night that involved kissing.  We did become close as friends and I held no false expectations for more but once he left in late August 1965, we promised to write.

We did write but absence when you are in your Senior year of High School doesn't always make the heart grow fonder. In February 1966, I did met the first true love in my life and slowly put Kenny out of my mind.  My Senior year from February was a whirlwind romance and school activities wise.  Once my high school sweetheart dump me because I was stuck in a rot...the rot of the 1950's. A good girl does not have sex before marriage and she does not smoke wacky tobacco.  So this boring girl went and had herself a pity party.

Part of that party was to write Kenny for sympathy and encouragement but he surprised me with an invitation to visit him at University Illinois in Champagne. Fortunately my Dad worked for Eastern Airlines and I flew on a pass to Chicago. I still can not believe that I traveled by myself to a major U.S. city and then on to Champagne via train. What was truly unbelievable that I was romanticizing the weekend from the tour of the campus, to the movie date to see "Blow-up," and finishing the first night at a near beer bar.  I knew that it was a sympathy weekend but my imagination created a fantasy that would last a life time.

Although our communication faded over the year of 1967 due to other entanglements, my feelings for Kenny never really faded. Early in 1968, our paths crossed  under tragic circumstances; Judy's mother died at the young age of 41. Judy would also die at a young age.

I was nervous going to Mrs. Fitcher's wake on the chance that Kenny would be there. Would Kenny talk to me or would he ignore me. My body was shaking and my eye was twitching while sitting in the waiting room while keeping an eye on the door.  Finally he did arrive and slowly made his way over to the corner where I was sitting. He had his charm overwhelmed me and he accompanied my friend Gayle and me back into Boston.  I had plans to stay with my friend Joanne at her apartment in Boston so Kenny tag along with me. During the evening, I became more confused over my feelings towards Kenny.  He was more than just a friend, he was my fantasy, my dream.  Everyone would pale in comparison to him as I go forward in life.

In reality, I never stopped loving him but in was not in his league plus I turned him away a year or so later. I was dating a handsome professional football player who was black.  My mind had practically erased Kenny as I knew he would lambaste when he found out a was dating a black man. One evening after work,  I came home to my apartment that I shared with my cousin Joanne  and there in the living room was both Kenny and my new boyfriend. It was a nightmare and was surprised Kenny stayed in the same room as Ezell.

Ezell, my new boyfriend, was a gentlemen left the apartment so I could catch up with Kenny. My regret was Kenny was never given a chance to tell me how he had changed. He was applying to a Boston college and was looking forward to sending time with me.  I informed him that he was a Southern bigot and could never be friends again with him. That was 44 years ago and I regret it more than I can express.