August 1967

Memphis, Tennessee

Glen crushed the beer can against his forehead and threw it on the ground, and then high-fived his best friend Bryan. Charlene laughed at the boys’ brutish behavior as she too was becoming tipsy. Bryan wasn’t drinking tonight because he was the designated driver, but that didn’t stop Glen and Charlene from having a little teenage fun.

The three of them had parked up at a “make-out point” of Memphis. This particular spot overlooked nearly all the city and left only the vast sky of bright stars and majestic black space to blanket their view.

Over the last few weeks, the three of them had hit it off.

Though, through all the fun times of drinking beer and hanging out, it hurt Glen that Charlene was Bryan’s girlfriend.

Whenever Charlene leaned over to give Bryan a kiss, it put a frown on Glen’s face because he couldn’t help but be infatuated with the new girl in town. Every single time that Bryan and Charlene’s fingers intertwined to hold each other’s hands, it tore away at Glen’s ability to befriend the two.

Glen tried to look past it for many reasons.

Throughout Glen and Bryan’s friendship, it had always been Glen that the girls fell for. It was always Glen that got invited to the big parties and Bryan who acted as tag-along. It was always Glen who got picked for starting team.

Glen was happy for Bryan, because it seemed as if he had finally found a girl who he really liked… but Glen couldn’t stop the feelings that were churning inside him for Charlene.

Glen wouldn’t say or do anything about it, but it hurt oh so much.

September 1964

Memphis, Tennessee

It was a warm, soft, sunny September morning and Glen turned the wheel of his recently bought car.

He was proud of his first vehicle, and he had been saving for quite some time to afford it. Glen swung the car into the driveway of his forbidden love’s house. Bryan had called him last night to tell him that he was too sick to go to school, and that he needed Glen to give Charlene a ride to school for him.

Glen tried not to be too eager but had been thinking about it all the previous night and into the morning as he attempted to eat breakfast with his family.

He pulled up into the driveway and got out to walk up the door, but Charlene had already left her house and was walking across the porch. Glen admired her simple beauty and her petite figure as she came closer.

She had on a cheerful yellow dress that snug up above her knees while her brown hair glistened in the sun, leaving Glen in awe.

“Good morning, Glen, thanks for picking me up like this,” Charlene said while showing off her pearly white smile.

Glen was sporting his leather jack and blue jeans. Glen got into his car and told her that it was not a problem, in fact he was happy to do it. Charlene smiled again, seemingly to torture Glen.

As they pulled out of their driveway, Charlene started conversation, as she was polite enough to do.

“You know Glen, you’re different than what I heard before I got here.”

The statement was simple enough, but it created shockwaves of questions through Glen’s mind.

“Oh really? What did you hear from your cousin Marco?” Glen responded, digging to find out what was said about him.

“He said watch out for you because you can have any girl with your blonde hair and blue eyes.”

Glen’s deep laugh emanated loudly, “And you believed him?”

Charlene blushed as if feeling gullible, “Yeah, a little. I mean, when I first met you, you seemed like the charming guy who could have any girl he wanted.”

“You’d be surprised.”

Charlene giggled and sighed at herself.

“Bryan is a good guy, but sometimes I feel like he’s not a protective man. You know what I mean?”

Glen didn’t know what to make of this. Was she trying to talk to him about his best friend? Could she be sending a message?

Glen cleared his throat and responded, “Bryan’s a good guy. He has much courage as anyone.”

“Yeah, maybe. But whenever we are walking through the halls and a guy makes a comment, he’ll pretend like he didn’t hear them so that he won’t have to do anything.”

Glen was somewhat taken back by this. Bryan was always talking about how he would do anything to keep Charlene his.

“Maybe Bryan didn’t hear them?”

“Maybe…”