The First Girl

They were talking about the Marsdens, who had just lost their lives in a ship accident. Everyone remembered how happy they were in their marriage. It was surprising because they married late in life. One person then mentioned how the world would be different if men ended up with the first girl they ever loved. They believed the first love was pure, without the influence of the world. A single man joked that the first girl was better than the wife because she was the ideal. They then decided to share stories about their first loves in the comfortable clubroom.

• pure (adjective) – Very clean, simple, or without anything extra.

The Explorer started his story.

• explorer (noun) – A person who travels to learn about new places.

“I met her during a summer vacation in the Adirondacks. I couldn’t see her as just a friend, but she didn’t want to be more than that. So, I always remember her in connection with nature. She was brave and comfortable in herself. I only saw her in simple clothes, but she was like a goddess. She was fit and could join us in outdoor activities and sports. She didn’t complain when things got tough. She could manage horses and knew a lot about nature. To me, she was wonderful.”

“What happened to her?” they asked.

“She married a man who didn’t know anything about nature.”

The Diplomat was next.

• diplomat (noun) – A person who works to manage relationships between countries.

“I prefer a different type of woman. The first girl I loved was like a queen. I met her during my first winter in Washington. She looked best in thin clothes. I remember a shiny green and silver dress she wore at a ball. She didn’t go on walks with me in the forest, but she loved to dance. She didn’t handle guns or boats, but she was good with tea things in the drawing-room, playing soft music on the piano, or putting a flower in a man’s jacket. She didn’t know much about birds, but she understood men. We all liked her that winter.”

• jacket (noun) – A piece of clothing worn on the upper body, often over a shirt.

“Did she ever catch any of you?”

“She finally did, but she chose a man who didn’t like to dance or go to social events.”

The Engineer was asked next if he had a first love.

“I do,” he said. “But my story will sound boring compared to the others. I worked my way through college, so I didn’t have time for vacations. But during my senior year, I met her. She was a classmate. I never noticed how she dressed. But she could think and talk! We discussed everything together. There’s a place in the old library that I always visit because of her. I’ve never met another woman with such a mind. I thought that with such a companion, I could make my life good. But she didn’t see it that way.”

• companion (noun) – Someone who spends time with you or helps you.

“Is she a feminist now?” the Explorer asked teasingly.

• feminist (noun) – A person who supports equal rights for women.

“She married a good man, but he wasn’t interested in studying.”

The fourth man, the Socialist, said, “My story is the least exciting. I remember a sweet human girl, a nurse, during my first year at the hospital. I don’t remember her for her beauty or her mind. She was sympathetic. She would listen to me talk about my dreams and ambitions. She always understood, even though she didn’t talk much. I felt I could do anything if she was watching. But despite her kindness, she rejected me.”

• sympathetic (adjective) – Showing that you understand and care about someone’s feelings.

“That’s good for a sick boy,” said the Diplomat, “but for a wife, a girl like Alison——”

“‘Alison,’” the Engineer said, “that’s a nice name; that was her name.”

“That’s strange,” the Explorer thought, “her name was also Alison Forbes.”

“Alison Forbes,” said the Socialist, “Alison Forbes—Marsden!”

Suddenly, they were quiet and looked at each other strangely. They realized that there was not four first loves, but one—seen through different eyes.

• through different eyes (phrase) – From different perspectives or points of view.

THE END