Basement Arousal

Kenny's basement, Minneapolis, 1970

You can't be twenty on Sugar Mountain
Though you're thinking that
you're leaving there too soon,
You're leaving there too soon

~ Neil Young

Nineteen may be the ultimate awkward age.
Sophomoric.
Fully grown, yet not a grown-up.
Parties in your folks' basement.
Attended by singletons cursing their desperation.
Party games!
The "hands" game.
Vicki was supine upon the bed.
I passed my hands above her body.
Never touching, slowly moving from feet to head.
Over and over.
Waves of "Psychic Energy."

Vicki became flushed, then agitated.
She got up.
"Did you feel it?"
"What was it like?"
"It was OK, I guess."
Quiet pause.

Laughter broke the mood.
More people came down the stairs.
When Robin came down, she sat close to me.
Vicki began to cry.