She was 17, but in India, it was forbidden.

She liked him, he liked her, but it wasn’t an arranged marriage, so they dated in secret.

It was 1987.  They rode the subway together in Bombay.

He taught her how to do crosswords in the Mid Day Times.

He couldn’t bear one more minute.  His heart was aching.  

Polite, but forthright, he asked simply, “May I have a kiss?”

She blushed.  Her mind raced.  They were in public, so the stakes were high, but her heart was longing too.  

The idea came to her in a flash… a test to see if it was meant to be!

She said, “Finish the crossword by the time we reach the Borivili stop.  Then you shall have your kiss.”

It was five stops aways.  He had 20 minutes.

His eyes sharpened with resolve.  He would not fail…love was on the line.  

The world went dark.  The subway rattle went mute.  The passengers vanished.  

As if he had written the puzzle himself, the answers came to him in effortless fashion.  The promise of her kiss was his transcension.

She watched hopefully, more excited with every correct word.  

17 minutes later, he put down his pencil, turned, and looked at her.  Their hearts pounded in synchrony.  

But his test was not complete.  She insisted on checking the answers. 

Without breaking eye contact he handed her the newspaper, knowing that his kiss was just minutes away.  

When the train stopped, the screeching brakes sounded to him like angels singing.  

Like the lightest of feathers, they floated together into the station, finding a small alcove out of sight.

Nervous, yet methodically, she checked every answer in the puzzle.  

It was perfect.  And so was their first kiss.  

This heartwarming story was recently shared with me by a friend.  She is still married to that crossword genius today, almost 33 years later.  

In the spirit of smooching, here are a few fun facts on the subject:

It’s Healthy…

Need to shed some of those holiday pounds?  Kissing for one minute burns 26 calories.

Too many sugary sweets this season?  The extra saliva from locking lips helps fight tooth decay too.

One study even reported that men who kiss their wives every morning live five years longer, make 20% more money, and are less likely to get in a car accident.

XOXO…

In the Middle Ages, when most common people couldn’t read or write, an X was used to sign documents, and it was “sealed with a kiss” to show good faith.  

Based on several sources, the O is a symbol for our arms around another person.

That’s why XOXO means “kisses and hugs.”

Make Out or Break Up…

In one study, 66% of women and 59% of men reported breaking up with a dating partner due to “incompatible kissing.”  

Maybe Joey Adams was right when she said, “Never let a fool kiss you, or a kiss fool you.”

Psychologist John Bohannon asserts that most people remember their first kiss more vividly than their first sexual encounter.

Remy de Gourmont once said, “Women still remember the first kiss after men have forgotten the last.”

Relationship experts say kissing is a woman’s biological test of whether a man will be a suitable mate.

According to Mae West, “A man’s kiss is his signature.”  She also said, “Anything worth doing is worth doing slowly.”

Do you remember your first kiss?

With my friend in the story, her first first kiss was her last first kiss.

I wonder how often that comes true…