1952: Long Beach, California. Miss Finland was the first Miss Universe.Miss Hawaii was the 1st Runner-Up.

1953:Long Beach, California. Christiane Martell became the first Miss France to win the Miss Universe title.

1954:Miriam Stevenson became the first American to win the Miss Universe Pageant.

1955: Long Beach, California. Miss Sweden was crowned Miss Universe. Miss El Salvador, Maribel Arrietta, was the big favorite.Miss El Salvador was compared to Marilyn Monroe by American journalists.

1956: Miss USA,Carol Morris, was crowned Miss Universe.

1957:Long Beach (California). Miss Peru, Gladys Zender Urbina was elected Miss Universe. She was the first Latin woman to win the Miss Universe.

1958:Long Beach, California.Marina Luz Zuloaga became the first woman from Colombia to win the Miss Universe title. Miss Brazil was the 1st Runner-Up.

1959: Long Beach, California. Miss Italy,Maria Grazia Buccella, was the big favourite…but she did not qualify for the semifinals.Next day, Italian newspapers criticized Akiko Kojima. Miss Universe from Japan….

1960: Lynda Bennett, Miss USA and Miss Utah, became the third American to win the Miss Universe title…

1961:Long Beach, California.Marlene Schmidt became the first German to win the Miss Universe title.

1962: Miss Argentina, Norma Nolan, won the Miss Universe title. Miss Haiti, Evelyn Miot, was the first black woman to be a semifinals at Miss Universe.

1963: Miss Brazil, Ieda Maria Vargas, won the Miss Universe title. She became the first Brazilian to win the Miss Universe.

1964: Long Beach,California. Corina Tsopie was the first person from Greece to win the Miss Universe Pageant.

1965: Miss Thailand, Aspara Hongsakula, was elected Miss Universe.

1966: Miss Sweden, Margaret Arvidsson, won the Miss Universe.

1967: Miss USA, Sylvia Hitchcok (20 years/1,71/ 91-61-94m) was elected Miss Universe.

1968:Miami Beach, Florida.Martha Vasconcelos became the second Brazilian to win the Miss Universe title.

1969:Miami Beach, Florida. Miss Philippines, Gloria Diaz, became the third Miss Universe from the Asia.

1970:Miami Beach, Florida, Miss Puerto Rico, Marisol Malaret won the Miss Universe.

1971: Miami Beach, Florida. Miss Lebanon, Georgina Rizk became the fourth Miss Universe from the Asia.

1972:Dorado, Puerto Rico. Miss Australia, Anne Kery Wells, was elected Miss Universe.

1973: Athens,Greece.Miss Philippines, Margarita Moran, was elected Miss Universe.

1974: Under the leadership of Imelda Romualdez Marcos, First Lady of Philippines, Manila, Philippines´s capital, hosted Miss Universe. Miss Spain, Amparo Muñoz was elected Miss Universe.

1975: San Salvador (El Salvador).The winner was Anne Pohtamo, Miss Finland.She looks like Grace Kelly, who was an American actress and Princess of Monaco (a small country in Europe).During her reign, she went to the USA,Australia, Hong Kong, Dominican Republic and other countries in the Third World.She was crowned in El Salvador, the birthplace of Maribel Arrieta, one of the most beautiful delegates in the chronology of MU. Jackeline Gammarra, Miss Bolivia, was big favourite in San Salvador.Ironically, she had been eliminated in the semifinals. Miss Bolivia 1975 was one of the best South American delegates in the history of Miss Universe.

1976:Victory City, Hong Kong.Miss Israel, Rina Messinger, was crowned Miss Universe. For the first time, Miss USA, Barbara Peterson, did not qualify for the semifinals.

1978:Acapulco, Mexico. Miss South Africa won the title.The favorites were : 1-El Salvador, 2-Peru, 3-USA, 4-South Africa, 5-Israel, 6-Sweden, 7-Wales, 8-Costa Rica. The great surprise was Miss Chile.Marianne Muller spoke three languages fluently: English, French and German)… Miss Peru, Olga Roxana Zumaran Burga was a huge favorite in Miss Universe,but she did not speak English. Another eliminated was Miss El Salvador, Iris Yvette Mazorra, one of the best Latin American delegates in Miss Universe.

1979: Perth (Australia). Miss Brazil was a big favorite until last minute. Miss Venezuela, Maritza Sayalero won the Miss Universe title.

1981:New Yor City. Under the leadership of Osmel Sousa, President of Miss Venezuela Organization, Venezuela´s Irene Saez was crowned Miss Universe.The final ranking:1-Venezuela, 2-Canada, 3-Sweden, 4-Brazil, 5-Belgium. After the Miss Universe, Miss Brazil, Adriana Alves de Oliveira had worked as a professional model in Paris.In 1984 she went to London, the United Kingdom, where she was favourite by international journalism and houses of best.She had a perfect body and European profile…But she only came between 7 semifinalists.She was the best delegate from Brazil since Magdalena Sbairini, other big favourite in Miss World 1977…

1982:Lima ,Peru. The favorites were: 1-Miss Chile, 2-Miss South Africa, 3-Miss Brazil, 4-Miss Finland 5-Miss Canada 6-Miss Austria 7-Greece 8-Miss Wales 9-Miss Italy 10-Miss Australia. Miss South Africa, Odett Octavia Scrooby (18 years old, 173m, blue eyes and 54 k), was born in Skeerpoort. She had been a professional model in Johannesbourg, a city in SA.Her hobbies were drawing and painting. Her dream was to become an international supermodel. She did not win because her country was the birthplace of Apartheid…However, Miss Canada won the title. Karen Baldwin was a student at University in Canada.Her dream was to become a businesswoman.Her hobbies were water sports and playing tennis, squash and racquetball. Like Gladys Zender, one of the judges, Karen was a sportswoman.”My idol is the Mother Theresa of Calcutta”, said in an interview with Mario Vargas Llosa ( judge).Karen had had the support of Rod Duguay(judge), her countryman and a famous hockey player…

1984:Miami, Florida. Miss South Africa, Leticia Snyman, was a big favorite, but she did not win Miss Universe. After 1984,Miss Universe Company did not accept South Africa contestants until 1995,when Namibia hosted the Miss Universe.

1985:Miami, Florida. The final ranking was: 1-PR,2-Spain,3-Zaire,4-Venezuela,5-Uruguay. Miss Zaire, Benita Mureka, was the first black African finalist in Miss Universe. Miss Zaire had her own style and very beautiful. Miss Puerto Rico, a girl very common, was elected Miss Universe…very strange result.

1986:Panama City. Miss Venezuela, Barbara Palacios Teyde, was elected Miss Universe. Venezuela has had many judges in the Miss Universe since 1984:Carolina Herrera (1984 and 1997); Irene Saez (1983 and 1995); Maria Consuelo Alonso Bustillo (1993 and 1998); Lupita Ferrer (1986); Barbara Palacios Teyde (1988); and Jose Luis Rodriguez (1991). Different from Venezuela, Jamaica has not had a judge in Miss Universe history…as Bolivia, Paraguay, Portugal,Austria, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Namibia,Curacao, Albania, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Iceland, Ireland…

1987: Singapoore City. Miss Chile, Cecilia Bolocco was crowned Miss Universe Pageant. She had a sensational interview with judges. Miss Colombia, Patricia Lopez, did not qualify for the semifinals.She won both titles: Miss South America-Universe and Miss Photogenic. Patricia Lopez became the big favorite to win the Miss Universe, but she did not speak English very well. Good bye Colombia.

1989:Cancun,Mexico. Andrea Stelzer was Miss South Africa 1985, but when she arrived at Miami Airport Immigration did not accept her entrance to Miami.Reasons: Radical protests by American Anti-Apartheid activists.Like many South African, she became German citizen. In 1989 she won the Miss Germany title. She went to Cancun and was semifinalist at the Miss Universe.

1990: Venezuela was the dominant force in Miss Universe Pageant in the 1990s.

1991: Las Vegas,USA. Lupita Jones became the first Mexican to win the Miss Universe title.

1992:Bangkok, Thailand. Miss Namibia, Michelle MacLean, was elected Miss Universe.

1993:Mexico City. Maria Consuelo Alonso, international judge, did not support Miss Venezuela, Milka Chulina during Miss Universe contest. In Caracas, there was many critics towards Maria Consuelo.She was born in Cuba.

1994:Manila, Philippines. The ranking finalwas: 1-Miss India, 2-Miss Colombia,3-Miss Venezuela. Many people think that Colombia never winner Miss Universe…mainly for narcotrafic.Colombia have had spectacular girls like Aura Maria Mojica and Paloma Turbay Ayala…

1995:Windhoek, Namibia (Africa). Miss USA and Miss Texas, Chelsy Smith, was elected Miss Universe.

1996:Las Vegas, Nevada. Miss Venezuela, Alicia Machado, won the Miss Universe Pageant.She was always controversial and charismatic…

1998: Honolulu, Hawaii.Wendy Fitzwilliam became the second Afro-Trinidadian to win the Miss Universe title.

1999: Trinidad Tobago. Miss Botswana, Mpule Kwelagobe, became Miss Universe. Since 1999, she is an Anti-AIDS activist in the Third World.

2000: Nicosia, Cyprus, the birthplace of Aphrodite.Miss India, Lara Dutta, was crowned Miss Universe. Miss France, Sonia Rolland, who speaks French, English and Spanish, was another bi-racial beauty. She has a Rwandan mother and a French father. Sonia was a child who lived at the time of the Rwandan War.

2001:Bayamon, Puerto Rico.Miss Puerto Rico, Denise Quiñones was crowned Miss Universe. She became the first person to win the Miss Universe Pageant in her country…

2002:San Juan de Puerto Rico. Miss Russia, Oxana Federova was crowned Miss Universe. The People´s Republic of China made its debut at the Miss Universe. Oxana Federova was dethroned by Miss Universe Organization.In New York City,Miss Panama, Justine Paseak, was elected Miss Universe. She was 1st Runner-Up.

2003:Panama City.Miss Dominican Republic, Amelia Vega, won the Miss Universe Pageant.

2004:Quito, Ecuador. Miss Australia, Jennifer Hawkins, was elected Miss Universe.

2005:Bangkok, Thailand. Miss Canada, Natalia Glebova, was crowned Miss Universe.

2006: Los Angeles, California. Miss Puerto Rico, Zuleyka Rivera, was crowned Miss Universe Pageant… Did you know that… Puerto Rico has had several judges in Miss Universe History: Mapy Cortes (actress/1972); Marisol Malaret (former Miss Universe: 1977 and 2002);Deborah Carthy-Deu (ex-Miss Universe: 1987 and 2003); Dayanara Torres (2001);Marc Anthony (2001); and Maria Celeste Arraras (journalist/2003 and 2006).However, Chile only has had two judges: Cecilia Bolocco (1996) and Christian de la Fuente (20001).

2007:Welcome to Mexico…Miss Universe 2007

By: Alejandro Guevara Onofre

About the Author:

MISS UNIVERSE 2000

SITE: Nicosia, Cyprus.

HISTORY. Representatives from 79 countries, territories and dependencies attended the Miss Universe contest. Certainly, India became the most powerful country in the Beauty World.Miss India, Lara Dutta, has all the qualities to be a Miss Universe-intelligence, beauty, personality, charisma and determination. Finally, Ms. Dutta was the new Miss Universe. It was one of her lifelong dreams to become Miss Universe. Few misses have had careers as long and varied as Lara Dutta.

In a career of more than seven years, she has been professional model, ambassador and actress. Lara once said, “Winning the Miss Universe title is the culmination of a dream”.
Like Miss Universe 2000, she went to Saint Marteen, Puerto Rico, USA, Colombia,Thailand, Malaysia, Japan, Switzerland, Venezuela, Mexico, Indonesia and the United Arab Emirates.
Ms. Dutta became well-known to millions as a women´s rights activist in India. Lara Dutta was one of the best known misses of the 21st century.

MISS UNIVERSE 2001

SITE: Bayamon, Puerto Rico.

HISTORY. Representatives from 77 countries and dependencies attended the Miss Universe. Osmel Sousa, president of Miss Venezuela Organization, wanted to win the Miss Universe title. People who have worked with him say he´s a perfectionist preparing carefully for each project. He is a very private man, who rarely gives interviews.

At the onset, Venezuela´s Eva Monica Ekvall Johnson was the favourite by experts and journalists. Miss Venezuela reached the finals, but surprisingly, she only came fourth place. Many people felt that the decision was unfair.
A Puerto Rican won the Miss Universe contest again.Like Margarita Moran (Miss Philippines and Miss Universe 1973) and Janelle Penny Commissiong (Miss Trinidad Tobago and Miss Universe), Miss Puerto Rico, Denisse Quiñones, was crowned also Miss Photogenic Universe.Denisse´s ambition was to become a professional singer.

MISS UNIVERSE 2002

SITE: San Juan de Puerto Rico.

HISTORY.San Juan de Puerto Rico hosted the pageant.
The favorites were Colombia (Vanesa Alexandra Mendoza Bustos), India (Neha Dhupia), Panama (Justine Paseak), China (Zhuo Ling), and Russia (Oksana Federova). All made the semi-finalists except for Colombia. Ms. Mendoza became the first black woman to be named Miss Colombia. Miss Colombia will always be remembered as the first black woman representing her country in this contest.

For the first time since 1990, communist bloc sent a Miss China to compete in the Miss Universe. Ironically, Miss Cuba pageant has been forbidden since 1960 by Cuban dictatorship.
At the onset, China´s Zhuo Ling was one of the most popular delegates. Finally, Miss China was the 1st runner-up.
Russia´s Oxana Federova was elected Miss Universe. However, she was obligated to give back the title of Miss Universe. Ms. Federova was a controversial woman. Certainly, her popularity declined in her own country.

During the next months in New York City, Miss Panama, Justine Lissette Pasek Patiño, was crowned Miss Universe 2002. Ms. Pasek was long considered one of the most intelligent women in the Miss Universe history. Panama´s Justine Paseak was born in Kharkov, Ukrania. She had a very happy childhood there with her parents. Next years, her family moved to Panama City. Justine had several years experience as professional model.

MISS UNIVERSE 2003

SITE:Panama City, Panama.

HISTORY.For the second time, Panama City hosted the pageant. One of the most enthusiastic fans was Panamanian president Mireya Elisa Moscoso Rodriguez. On September1, 1999, Mireya Moscoso became Panama´s first female head of state.
The favourites were Miss Dominican Republic (Amelia Vega), Miss Japan (Miyako Miyazaki), Miss Brazil (Gislaine Rodrigues Ferreira) and the Miss USA (Susie Castillo Cintrom). Ms. Castillo has Puerto Rican descent. Miss Japan was undoubtedly one of the great beauties of the 2000s.
Under the leadership of two Venezuelans, Miss Dominican Republic became Miss Universe. Amelia Vega became Dominican Republic´s first Miss Universe. For the first time since 1992, Miss India did not qualify for the semi-finals.
Like Miss Universe 2003, she went to Indonesia, Puerto Rico, Mexico, Ecuador, Thailand, Vietnam, Guyana, USA, India, Saint Maarten and the People´s Republic of China.

MISS UNIVERSE 2004

SITE:Quito, Ecuador.

HISTORY. Ecuadorian newspapers reported that misses Ukraine (Okelsandra Nikolayenko) , Venezuela (Ana Karina Añez Delgado), Australia (Jennifer Hawkins), USA (Shandi Ren Finnessey), Paraguay (Yanina Alicia Gonzalez Jorgge), and Ecuador(Susana Rivadeneira Simbal) were the most favored to win the contest.

Surprisingly, Miss Ukraine did not enter the semi-finals.Before she went to Ecuador, Okelsandra Nikolayenko competed in Miss World 2001, where she was semi-finalist. Venezuela´s Ana Añez admired Mahatma Gandhi. “Mahatma Gandhi has been a big influence in my life thanks to his political and religious influence he gave to the world”, she said
For the first time since 1982, Miss Venezuela did not qualify for the semi-finals. It was sadness for Venezuela´s Osmel Sousa. He once said: “If Venezuela does not make it in the finals, I will have a heart attack!”

Miss Australia was elected Miss Universe. She became Australia´s second Miss Universe.The next day her photo was see all over the world and from that moment the name Jennifer Hawkins was known everywhere. Ms. Hawkins is perhaps the most beautiful woman in Miss Australia history.
The judges were Petra Nemcova (Czech fashion model), Monique Menniken (German fashion model), Elsa Benitez (Mexican super-model), Bo Derek (American actress), Bill Rancic (American entrepreneur), Anne Martin (vice-president of Global Cosmetics and Marketing of Proctor & Gamble Cosmetics), Emilio Estefan (music producer), Jon Tutolo (president of Trump Model Management), and Jefferson Perez ( 1996 Ecuadorian olympic gold medalist).

MISS UNIVERSE 2005

SITE: Bangkok, Thailand.

HISTORY. Among the most popular delegates in the pageant were Canada`s Natalie Glebova, Dominican Republic´s Renata de Jesus Soñe Savery, Mexico´s Laura Elizondo Erhard, Venezuela´s Monica Spear, India´s Amrita Thapar, South Africa´s Claudia Henkel, and Switzerland´s Fiona Hefti.

A naturalized Canadian citizen who was born in Russia and came to Canada, Natalie Glebova was elected Miss Canada and Miss Universe 2005.Her beauty was loved by millions of people.She became well-known to millions as an anti-AIDS activist in the Third World.
The judges were Carson Kressley (American designer), Cassie Lewis (American model), Bryan Dattilo (American actor), Jean Georges Vongerichten (French chef), Okelsandra Nikolayenko (actress and former Miss Ukraine), Porntip “Bui” Nakhirunkanok (former Miss Thailand and Miss Universe 1988), Mario Cimarro (Mexican actor), Anne Martin (vice-president of Global Cosmetics and Marketing of Proctor & Gamble Cosmetics) Kevin S.Bright (American television executive producer),Heidi Albertsen (Danish model), and Khun Rom Pakdi (Thai actor).
Like Miss Universe 2005, she went to Greece, Canada, India, USA, Thailand, Indonesia, Singapoore, Ecuador and Brazil.

MISS UNIVERSE 2006

SITE: Los Angeles, California (USA).

HISTORY.At the onset, Japan´s Kurara Chibana was the favourite.Like Miss Japan 2003,Miyako Miyazaki, she was a beautiful exotic girl from Okinawa, the birthplace of the karate. Certainly, Miss Japan had several fans. However, Miss Puerto Rico, Zuleyka Rivera, made history by becoming the fifth Puerto Rican winner of the contest.She was one of the most famous models in her country. During the Miss Universe, Miss Puerto Rico was bilingual in English and Spanish.
Miss Universe 2006 was dominated by Latin America: Puerto Rico, Paraguay, Bolivia, Colombia, Mexico and Trinidad-Tobago.

The judges were Amelia Vega (former Miss Dominican Republic and Miss Universe), Marc Cherry (American writer), Claudia Jordan (Miss Rhode Island 1997), Tom Green (Canadian sock comic), Emmitt Smith (former American football player), James Lesure (American actor), Maria Celeste Arrras (Puerto Rican journalist), Patrick McMullan (American designer), Santino Rice (American fashion designer), Bridgette Wilson-Sampras (actress and former Miss Teen USA) and Sean Yazbeck (British actor).

By: Alejandro Guevara Onofre

About the Author:

If you’ve ever seen the movie The Patriot you might recall the opening line. It goes … “I have long feared that my sins would return to visit me, and the cost would be more than I could bear.” Ah yes … words of great wisdom indeed. Why I am recalling that line while deciding to write about my days of yore, could only mean I have something to confess. And to this poor, sweet lass, who has undoubtedly passed the test of time with flying colors and moved on with her life, I sincerely apologize. Now, where do I start after that opening line? From the beginning, I presume.

The summer of 1980. I had my license for over a year now and had done my best to do what damage I could to Mom’s car and even my grandparents’ car. This was a malicious act with the intent that if I did enough damage to theirs, they’d consider letting me buy one of my own. I was a working lad, after all. I needed to get from to and fro and had to have transportation. It was the obvious choice. I don’t recall how we found her; a 1970 Plymouth Satellite with 23,000 miles on the odometer. The back seat still wrapped in factory plastic sheeting, with a slant six .225 engine. Oh … the glory days. It was the original “little old lady from Pasadena” story. Except this little old lady lived in New Hampshire and not California. Nonetheless, it had manual steering and she couldn’t handle its girth. After her husband passed away, it was stored in her garage collecting dust and awaiting a $750 cash offer from my grandfather to purchase it for me. My first love.

The symbolism of a car to a teenaged boy is simplistic in terms. It is freedom on wheels and hardly any man alive will argue this fact with me. Why we consider it this is beyond all realm of comprehension. It’s not freedom per se. You have to make the payments, let alone the insurance and dive into the unjust world of realizing just how screwed you get by the auto insurance industry for being male. You also have to gas it up. Everything about the car is financially restrictive. So why do we consider it symbolic freedom? Well … the girls, of course. The girls love the idea that a guy has his own car. And we’re in the stages of playing exploratory baseball with girls and certain parts of their anatomy … having a car to use as a ball field is just an easier outlet. I mean … what else are you going to say to her? Hey, honey … wanna go out in the woods with me? Um … no. That never works. At least not with the kind of girls you’d want to bring home and introduce to momma.

So I drove the Satellite home and had all kinds of visions and adventures were going on in my head. Summer was coming after all and after last summer at the beach, this year was going to be even better. Why? Because now I had my own ride! Beer, babes, and beaches, oh my! What a wonderful world we lived in back in 1980. Bad hair, music trying to escape the inevitability of changing from the 70s and, the residual corduroy bellbottom pants. We were entering the disco decade. Eh gad. Somebody hit the brakes! If I knew then what I know now … I probably would have knocked up some young lass and be in worse shape now than ever before. Thank goodness the world works in mysterious ways.

So … we’ve covered “Freedom.” Everyone understands that cars are freedom to young lads. Now … let’s talk about the French. My dear grandmother is French Canadian so let’s get that out in the open before anyone accuses me of racial slander. I have nothing against the French. Hell, I’m part French and I kiss French and I eat French Fries … so bite me if you think I’m a racist. Sorry. Obviously, I still have some pent up issues to deal with. To say what I’m about to will involve Old Orchard Beach at the same time as explaining about the French. In the summer time, at least from days ago, the French Canadians would flock to the stateside beaches of Maine and one of their favorite haunts was Old Orchard Beach. The prior summer, we had experienced this newfound treasure being Coasters of New Hampshire, by a fellow Freedom Driver a year older than us and already equipped with his drivers license who opened a whole new avenue of unexplored territory in the female gender to us. French chicks in the thousands. Oo-la-la!

There was one particular week and I do not recollect who went and who didn’t. I may not even have driven that particular night … but I remember it was night time when I met her. Why I can envision her so clearly and not recall her name is beyond me … and you’ll come to understand why as I complete this tale. She was small framed but built well, with fair eyes of bluish green and long, light brownish colored hair. I walked past her in a crowd and turned to see … her other profile …and was elated to see she was doing the same to me. I smiled the international language. She returned the gesture. I can’t remember if we talked right then or rediscovered each other again later. Too many years have come and gone, too many cobwebs cluttering the attic of my memory. I remember … suddenly sitting on the beach with this girl. She smoked Canadian cigarettes and she knew I didn’t approve. Although if she had had a Columbian cigarette, I would have toked with great earnestness. But her beauty, although maybe wouldn’t have won any pageants, to me she was drop-dead gorgeous … she spoke broken English … very broken and the only French I knew was the kissing kind. It was a match made in heaven … for the summer that is.

The next thing I knew, we had decided to walk the park again, and to anyone who knows what Old Orchard Beach is about … it’s an amusement park chock full of ancient arcades and a boardwalk and amusement rides. When you’re young, it feels so enormous. Getting older and revisiting it one day later on in my life, I couldn’t believe how small it actually was. How … divey it seemed to be … but the days of yore had ways of changing what you experienced. They were truly magical, those days. This beach is undoubtedly unchanged from the test of time, and yet the comparisons from then to now are worlds apart only by imagination. That’s magic, people.

Walking down a certain street, I noticed a young lad who appeared to be following us. She was perplexed with me and did not notice. Young love. I took notice and waited for the right moment. I could have been wrong, so I paid an ounce of extra attention and sure enough, this unknown creep was stalking us … maybe her. I will be her hero, I thought and waited for a target of opportunity. The stalker spoke. She did not hear. I did. We kept walking and she kept looking at me … why was she so engrossed with me? Hell … I was just an average guy and she didn’t even know I had a car yet! He said something subtle again and walked a little faster to catch up to us. Again, she did not hear him. Was she choosing not to? Was this her boyfriend from Canada? We did indeed suffer from a language barrier, but all we needed to really do was look into each others eyes, start kissing, and who the hell needed to talk anyway? Am I right? We both spoke French when we kissed, so who cared. Anyway … this kid, a glimpse from the corner of my eye … you see, I didn’t want her to think anything was diverting my attention from her … a helpless romantic … and she bought and paid every cent; plus tax where applicable … until he moved just close enough behind her, and I lunged her carefully into a storefront … closed for the evening, guarded her by standing in front of her, and grabbed this stalking little bastard by the neck of his T-shirt to let him know … he just made a huge mistake. She’s with me, bucko. Ask a question and prepare to meet you maker!

“Daniel,” she said, but pronounced it Danielle. French people. She looked at me with the utmost affection for my heroic deed, but there was something else in her eyes … something I didn’t quite understand yet desperately tried to. Her mind raced to find the words in English to make my density comprehend her. “My brother,” she said finally in the most alluring French accent I had ever heard in my life. Daniel smiled a goofy smile and I think I caught him praying to St. Anne De Beaupre that he was still alive after the brief incident. I extended my hand and he gladly shook it. He said something to … her … why can I not remember her name and yet know what her brother’s name was? I didn’t French kiss her brother for crying out loud?! Weird. Nonetheless, they talked briefly in a foreign tongue that I did not need to understand and he bid me farewell and I him. The rest of the night was hers’ and mine. We sat on the beach again later, kissing under the stars while listening to the waves crash against the shore. Her mouth tasted of stale cigarettes, but her passion was undeniable. My effort of heroism to protect a girl I barely knew, even if it was to her smaller framed and obviously weaker brother, paid dividends and left this poor French girl reeling.

I had walked her to her motel and bid her farewell. I would never see her again, I thought. I’m not sure what she was thinking. Next thing I knew, me and my local homies were all regrouped and on our way home sharing our stories of conquest. For some reason, and this is a true testimony … they all witnessed me meeting her after all … but I remained humbly silent and told them I had a good time with her and left it at that. They were all so willing to kiss and tell their own stories, that mine was accepted and forgotten. She was gone … and she left this hollow pit in my stomach and after arriving home that night and falling asleep, I dreamt of kissing her and crashing waves on the beach in the darkness.

I woke up. It was morning. Something still didn’t feel right. All I wanted to do was see her again. But even as small as Old Orchard Beach was, I would never find her again. I could never find her again. Could I? I ate breakfast … and thought of French. I took a shower … and thought of French. I told everyone in my house that I was going for a drive. I drove alone to Old Orchard Beach. I had to find her. I would find her. I knew where her motel was after all.

After arriving and parking my car, I made my way across the park and past it to the streets where the motels lined up on Atlantic Avenue. Route 1. I stood in front of her motel and the strangest revelation came over me. I wasn’t nervous. Every time before this when I had to call a girl, even if I knew she liked me, there was this odd sense that maybe I was wrong … that created this … fear of rejection deep, down inside me. But not now. I had only met her brother and if I knocked on that motel door, I was certain to meet her parents and other family members. But for some reason, I wasn’t nervous. All that was in my head was this undying urge to see this girl again … and when I knocked and her brother answered the door … and the door opened wide enough for her mother and father to see outside … to see me standing in front of their motel door … and smile at my arrival … knowing how excited their daughter would be to see me … knowing how excited she would be to see me there this day … man … my head was reeling! They had accepted me. They didn’t even know me. But she came flying out of the bathroom, freshly showered and her hair was still wet. She wore shorts and a white T-shirt with a bikini underneath. She kissed me in front of her parents … not French, but her parents smiled and was happy for their daughter. She told them we were leaving for the beach … in French … I didn’t understand anything. I was lost in a world of wondering what it was about this girl … other than her good looks that had me feeling this way … that had me accepted in her world. I was going with the flow. My god … I was in love with her. Was that even possible?

We spent the entire day together. Straight into the evening until just about the same time as we had the previous night. It was time to go again. I felt empty. Hollow. Lovestruck. For godsake, someone help me! We kissed passionately and I told her I was leaving and probably wouldn’t see her again. Maybe next summer. She was only there for the remainder of the week and would be going back to Canada. We were worlds apart. Long distance relationships didn’t work especially at our age and we both understood that. I left again. Again, I had this sinking feeling about this girl. Why? I can’t even remember her name for crying out loud! Shame on me for that.

This time I let a day go between us. After I awoke the next morning, I sat in the living room and watched an interview with Stephen King on Good Morning America. He was on some beach with Joan Lunden and it looked vaguely familiar. She asked him questions and he answered them. And then … right before a commercial break … she dared to say it. “Good Morning America, here with Stephen King live from Old Orchard Beach.” I screamed. There was no way I could make it … Not now! He’d be long gone before I got there … and then what? Her, you idiot! That’s what! I didn’t even really care about Stephen King. Maybe a little. But it was her and hearing those three words … Old Orchard Beach. Oh my god. I felt like puking. I had to see her again. I couldn’t let her go. I hadn’t told her that I loved her. I couldn’t tell her that I loved her. That would not be fair to her or me. After all, inevitably, we could never withstand the test of time. Too much high school was still left. We lived worlds apart. I stayed home that day and simmered in a pot of my own self inflicted misery. I was depressed. I yearned to be with her and even though when we were together we spoke so little to each other due to our barriers, it was our eyes and what we saw in each other that truly was the only language that needed to be spoken.

I couldn’t take it. It was Friday when I woke up again and she’d be leaving in a day or two. To Canada until next year … and god knows if or when I’d ever see her again. I wanted one more day with her. I showered and skipped breakfast and drove straight to Old Orchard Beach. The same knock on the same motel door produced a mother who smiled again when she saw me. In a thick French accent she said, “She’s gonna be so glad to see you. She’s on the beach.” I thanked her and headed for the sands. She was sunbathing and unsuspecting. She looked so erotic … so exotic … so much like a tourist. I snuck up on her. I recognized the hair, the contours of her body, those lips … despite her donning sunglasses … she was stunning. Sweat and tanning lotion had glistened exposed parts of her body and I stood there and took in the few moments to navigate the scenery in silence before I announced my arrival. What an absolute dish. A sprig of parsley on the side was all I needed to go with this entrée.

Within the ocean breeze and the crashing waves, I uttered her name … a name I wish for the life of me would return to my memory banks … did I just imagine this poor girl? She looked up and tipped her sunglasses down towards me. Her face was both in shock and happiness. I had seemingly answered her unheard beckon call. Maybe she had some spell over me … I don’t know. She was elated and leapt up from her beach blanket and embraced me. Stephen King was sitting here 24 hours ago, I thought briefly to myself as I hugged her back … all slippery and sexy. Again, we spent the entire day together well into the late evening. This would be indeed the last time we got to spend together … at least this year, but our love for one another had grown from a mere passing and notice that the other was checking each of the other out … like window shopping at the mall if you will, and there He or She is and how good they would look wearing the other… into … this unpronounced love with extreme barriers and distance that threatened every ounce of its existence. It could never work. We were too young. It would never work. End of story.

Sitting on the darkened beach again that night, we stopped kissing in time for each to catch our breath … content with listening to the unseen waves crashing in the near distance and I saw her head flicker towards mine and she said it in the darkness. “I love you, Jody,” she said. I stupidly smiled and looked out at the ocean as if I could see it. She saw me smile. She knew I chose not to return her devotion. I did love her, there was no doubt. The realization that our love would never last consumed my behavior and left me blank. She said it again to confirm I understood her in her accented English. I silently grabbed her hand and pulled her head onto my shoulders and embraced her … still not returning her devotion. What she must think of me …

As time passed, the night grew old and it was time to go again. I had a long drive home alone and this by far was the best day that I had spent with this elusive French girl. We exchanged addresses. Pen pals. She gave me a puca-shelled necklace to remember her by. I took her to my car … (shut up) … I had to have something to return in gesture. I was always a writer of sorts … self proclaimed … whatever. My ex-girlfriend from last year had written a story and I had told her I would rewrite her idea and give it to her. She was not a writer … and had no qualms about not being one … her story was self proclaimed as “stupid.” It was kind of, too. But I rewrote it with her intent and she was somewhat offended that I might take her stupid story and do a better job with it. Women. And there that story was … all hand written our and crumpled up in my glove box where she made me put it after refusing to read it. It was right next to my Ray Ban’s. I wouldn’t need those tonight … I thought with a sudden case of insanity. Hey … I love you French girl whose name evades me, but those are Ray Ban’s, honey. Here … take these crumpled pieces of paper with a story in it and remember me. She did and expressed how thrilled she was. Did she even notice the Ray Ban’s? Ah … too long ago.

I left and actually mustered the urge to cry over her that night on my way home. I would indeed never see this French girl again in my life. Not next year or the year after that. Never again. She was but a mere chapter in a book with many others written about my life and her existence was but three days worth of encounters long. She was lost …

Well … not exactly … quite yet anyway. School started, I met another girl … And the French girl wrote a pen pal letter. I responded nicely … somehow that feeling in the pit of my stomach when she wasn’t around … the way she would look into my eyes … the expression on her face when she did … all dissipated in my memory … as obviously did her name … poor, little French girl. Heavily involved within another relationship … one of which I reached an entirely different base with another game of exploratory baseball, I had tired of the puppy-loved, long distance relationship with … whatshername.

Another letter arrived and I ignored this one too but suddenly came up with a brilliant plan. Recruiting the assistance of my sister to respond a brief letter back to her in a women’s handwriting … I produced, directed, and starred in a brief eulogy of my own demise. We sadly reported to the French girl that I had been killed in an auto accident in my mother’s alleged handwriting. We told her how much I had mentioned and thought of her and how sorry (my mother) was and that she need not write any more letters … to a dead guy … and guess what? Uhuh … she mailed a frickin’ condolence card addressed to my mother … of course, which I had to explain. My mother wasn’t happy … and neither was the French girl, I’m sure … but I moved on. Or did I? I often think of this poor, French girl and the anguish of which I might have caused her. Did she cry over my imaginary death? Was that fair of me to make someone do? So … my past actions do indeed haunt me sometimes and I am truly afraid they will catch up to me … and the price is greater than I could bear. Please, French-girl-whose-name-evades-me, forgive an old man who was once in love with you and was young and foolish enough to make such a stupid decision. I’m sure you’re obviously better off without the likes of me and my conniving ways.

Jody Campbell

By: Jody Campbell

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Treasure Hunting