“Young Love”
Listen to this chapter, “Could This Be Love?”
The next weekend found the Riverdale youth on Mexico’s border. It was the annual Youth Congress held at the mission school in Calexico, just on the northern side of the border. Many young people from all of southern California had come for inspiration and a little deeper insight into mission work. Among them were Allen and Julie.
Such an experience! The meetings were wonderful—God was so near—and Allen and Julie shared it all. They went with a group to a boys’ home in Mexico where they sang songs and gave Christmas packages. Then Allen and Julie ate their supper together in the plaza, or park, just at sunset.
But about halfway through the meeting that evening, Allen and Julie and two others, Gloria and Ken, went on an excursion in downtown Calexico. The streets were all decorated in Christmas fashion, and bright signs of “Feliz Navidad” were everywhere. Neither Allen nor Julie felt exactly right about ditching the meeting, but for a while neither spoke.
Then Julie said, “Allen, we shouldn’t have come.”
Allen, who wasn’t acting as gay as he had when they first started out, looked at her. “You know, Julie, that’s just what I was thinking. Let’s go back.”
“But Gloria and Ken—”
“Hey, kids!” Allen called to the couple ahead of them. “Don’t you think we should go back?”
“Oh, we just got started!” exclaimed Gloria gaily. “Not now!”
“But—” Julie spoke.
“You two go on if you want to,” Ken said.
“Well—” Allen and Julie looked at each other and then back at Ken. They hesitated. But they both knew what was right.
“Okay,” Allen said, “we’ll see you back at the school.”
And with lighter hearts, the two started back. High above the town of Calexico, the moon glowed in a sky full of stars just for Allen and Julie. On the way back, they passed a magnificent old Spanish mansion made from white stone. And from somewhere in the shadows, someone strummed a lone guitar. Neither spoke for a long while, and Allen held Julie’s hand tightly in his own.
“Julie, will you go steady with me?” Allen whispered at last.
Arriving back at the meeting, they heard the strains of the closing song, sung by the mission school chorus, floating through the quiet night. “Mas alla del sol…” “Far beyond the sun…” Standing in the back door of the auditorium, Allen and Julie hummed it softly while they blinked back the tears.
“Mas Alla del Sol”
Morning came and the Riverdale youth were really excited. They were going Christmas shopping across the border in Mexico!
“Gloria,” Julie said to her as they were getting dressed, “I want to get Allen a real Mexican wallet for Christmas, but how can I if he’s with me all day?”
“I know,” said Gloria, who was just as excited, “you let me ‘borrow’ the money to get Ken a wallet. Of course, Allen will be with us. And when we’re in a leather shop, I’ll just ask him to help me pick out a wallet for Ken. And won’t he be surprised on Christmas morning to find out he picked out his own present!”
“Ooh!” squealed Julie with a delighted giggle. “Okay!”
And so the “inseparable three”—Allen, Julie, and Gloria—had a wonderful time in Mexicali that Sunday. Gloria purchased the wallet with Julie’s money, and Julie was happy. Allen was happy, too, because he had figured out Julie and Gloria’s little scheme. She thinks I’ll be surprised, he thought. Just wait until Christmas Eve! And he thought again of the present he already had for her.
Coming home in Macintoshes’ car that afternoon, Allen and Julie were filled with an ecstasy that only young and first love knows. His arm was around her, and they sat in silence, basking in the warmth of their embrace. She was close enough to kiss. Should he? He touched his lips to her cheek, but then he pulled away. No. But didn’t he love her? He knew he admired and respected her very much. Now he pressed his cheek lightly against her own. He was sure….
It wasn’t easy to get back into the school routine for just one week before Christmas vacation. But if Allen had moods, so did Julie. It was the last day of school before vacation, and Julie snapped at her parents in front of Allen. She immediately felt bad. When she was alone with Allen, she broke down and cried on his shoulder. Allen understood.
“Oh, Allen!” she sobbed, shaking her head. “Why, why am I so awful?”
He patted her gently. “Julie,” he whispered. “Nobody’s perfect.”
“But I’m so far from it! I—I guess I’m just too worried.”
“About what?” He squeezed her hand.
But she only sobbed and shook her head.
“Look, Julie,” he said. “If you’re really troubled, why don’t you talk to my dad?”
Julie looked blankly at him. Your dad? A minister? Never! “I—I couldn’t,” she stammered.
“Why not?” he queried. “Dad’s a wonderful person to talk to—to understand you. I’ve done it and—”
“But you’re different! You’re their son.”
“But he and Mom like you a lot, Julie. They would be so happy to know you trust them, too. Give it a try.”
Julie started thinking. Meanwhile, she forgot her tears. Pastor Macintosh—understanding—wonderful to talk to. Well, if he was anything like his son… Why should she be afraid to talk to a minister, anyway?
“I’ll go with you,” Allen was saying. “That is—if you want me to.”
Julie only looked as if she were going to speak, but she didn’t.
“Well, think about it,” Allen whispered.
Julie would think about it. Maybe someday she would just give it a try.
Soon a smile broke on Julie’s face, and things were back to normal once again.
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