In my book New Boy that came out in April of last year I dedicated my book to my "Jehovah Witness friend Gayle."
In my book, I talked about how I meet a girl named Gayle at a district convention in Pennsylvania in 1972 while I was at Bethel. She was only 17 years old and I was 21. I felt an instant connection with her and not being shy, I walked right up to her and introduced myself.
I drove out to see her again that summer. Her mother was less then pleased to see me, since her sister had married another (burned out) exBethelite with PTSD just a year before.
There was one magic moment, when we were in her kitchen by ourselves with the rest of the family in their living room. She had a strange look in her eye. I was too young and too stupid to know what that look was at the time. After many years, I know what the look means now. It means you can kiss me if you want. The kiss never happened, I had never kissed a girl before and for whatever reason didn't pull her close for that magic moment.
If that kiss had happened maybe my whole live would have different.....or maybe not.
Fast forward a month later and I saw another sister while she was on tour of the factory at 117 Adams street. That story of how I met and fell in love with Debbie Stillman in my book. Our 27 year marriage would end when I left the the religion in 2001. For her there could be no marriage unless I remained a JW.
I month after I met Debbie, Gayle came to New York on a High school field trip. I was very surprised that her mother would let her go. She called me and wanted to met. We met at a restaurant. I was there that I told her I was letting her go.
She seem to take it alright but I felt terrible.
I had pick this girl out of a crowd as if to say you are the one. Yet, as I describe it in the book, it literally was a coin toss between the two girls.
I walked her back to room and said good bye.
She told me years later that she was up all night crying.
It would be 47 years before I ever saw her again.
Part 2 tomorrow
Keith Casarona
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