Our first boyfriend was the same man

I have fond memories of my first boyfriend at school, aged about 13. The boys' and girls' grammar schools had just combined, and for the first time, we were all in the same classes. Paul was a lovely, kind, enthusiastic and totally altruistic young man with a winning smile. We enjoyed playing badminton together - and that was it ! I don't think we ever kissed, or if we did, it wasn't memorable. But he was. I moved schools, and boyfriends, and we lost touch. Years later, when I was about 40, I became friendly with a pair of gay men. One of them was talking about a friend who was about to visit them, who had been his first boyfriend at university. He played the cello and sang, and now ran a therapeutic centre for people with learning difficulties. These were all interests I clearly remembered Paul having. My friend's accent told me he was from the same region Paul and I grew up in, and so the realisation occurred that we had both dated the same boy/man !! And it might not surprise you to know that I came out as a lesbian as an adult too. It certainly didn't surprise Paul when I met him again at a concert where he was performing. He had lost his curly hair, but still had the same wonderful smile and I would have recognised him anywhere.