Julie’s Final Summer BY JENN WEBSTER
It was the last summer of the 1950s. Julie, a teen girl, had been dating Brad, a young man, for the past few months since they met in high school. Julie’s last year of high school was 1959–60, and Brad, who just graduated, will start college this fall.
Julie decided to spend her final summer with Brad before he went to college, and they headed to the beach to enjoy the last summer of the 1950s.
Once at the beach, Julie and Brad spread their beach towels out on the sand and then started to lie on them; a little later, Julie said to Brad, “Oh, Brad, when you go off to college in the fall, I shall never be able to see you again, at least for a while.” Brad then replied, “Oh, Julie, don’t talk like that…we have another way of seeing each other again…Have you ever heard of writing letters?” Julie then remembered and replied, “Oh, yes…”
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Then Brad continued talking, “You see, while I am at college, you can write to me, and I can write to you back…you see, we can write to each other! It shall be so very wonderful!” Julie smiled and answered, “Yes, it will be.” Then Julie and Brad lay back down on the beach. Later that afternoon, the teen couple took a walk on the boardwalk on the beach, looking into each other’s eyes romantically.
Then, the next night, Julie and Brad went to a drive-in movie theater to see the latest movie, The Shaggy Dog; afterward, Brad drove Julie home. Yes, all throughout the summer, Julie and Brad had the most wonderful time of their lives together. First, on the 4th of July, they had an early-evening picnic and watched the fireworks; then the two went surfing. And on some Fridays, they and their friends went out to the movies, the shopping mall, etc. All in all, it had been the most exciting final summer of the 1950s for Julie and Brad.
On Labor Day weekend, Julie asked her family if she could take Brad with her and her family to go on their weekend trip, and the family accepted her permission; Julie was excited, and then she, Brad, and Julie’s family went on their camping journey for the Labor Day weekend at a national state park. While at the park, Julie and Brad took a walk in the park to look at the trees. Then, they saw a river, with the waves splashing through. Julie then looked at Brad through each other's eyes, and then they leaned forward and… they kissed. This was the very first kiss they would have, and unfortunately, it would also be the last kiss Julie and Brad would have, at least for a while, before Brad headed off to college.
Fall had finally come, and it was time for Brad to head off to college; Brad had already packed his things, so he began lugging the suitcases off to his father’s car. Julie was there to say goodbye to Brad and to wish him good luck; As Brad was prepared to get in his father’s car, he went to Julie and, for the very last time, they gave a kiss to each other. Afterward, Brad went in his father’s car, and they drove off, with Julie waving goodbye to him.
Julie began having this extraordinary hope that, in four years' time, which happens to be the time for a person to stay in college anyway, Brad will come home to her, and their love will continue…someday…
©2026 Jenn Webster
