Another, far-off Saturday

I have written about this before, but the coincidence of another May 6 falling on a Saturday has brought the subject back to my mind over the past day or two. That other Saturday was 45 years ago, when I was the princely age of twelve years and six days, and while I had, at the time, no understanding of the significance of what happened that sunny afternoon on a school cricket ground in my home county, it was the precursor to the issue that has had arguably the most deleterious effect on my life ever since. Because it was the first day that I found myself entranced by a boy. He was my age to within no more than a few months, given that he was playing for his school's age group team against the equivalent team from my school, so the fact that guys his age and a little either way would become my delight, my heartache, my downfall, psychologically if not literally, couldn't have been known at that point. Had I had some implausible 'crystal ball' moment, though, and somehow discerned what my life was going to be like, I'd have gone home that night and found some means of ending it all, there and then.
I have no doubt that he wouldn't remember that day, or me, if I had any way of contacting him, but it's absolutely fixed in my consciousness. Until my dying day, I'll never forget you, G.

Love & best wishes to all
Sammy B