Throwback Thursday

Forty-six years ago, I left parochial school and went to the public junior high school for grade 9. Public school was a complete culture shock. No uniforms, except in gym class, (handsome) male teachers, changing classes, lockers, homeroom, gym. Some days were overwhelming, and being the new kid at school, making new friends was slow.

I had to take first year French, even though I had French classes since 6th grade. On the first day of class, the French teacher asked all the parochial school kids to raise their hand. She told us she wouldn't call on us all year.

I was in the slow Algebra class, the right place for me. It also  helped the class was taught by the very handsome Mr. T. Suddenly, I went from being a C math student to a solid A math student.

Most likely because I was in the slow math class, I was also put in the slow English class. The class with all the kids that didn't want to be in school. I was the only one who did the homework. If French class was boring, English class was mind numbing as the work being done was work I had learned in third grade.

After the first month, the English teacher pulled me aside after class. She told me I didn't belong in her class and she was going to recommend me for Honors English. I had no clue what that meant said OK and happily went on my way.

I found out the next day, Wednesday, October 1 when I went to my Algebra class.

"So, C, you're leaving us" Mr. T. stopped me before I had a chance to sit down in my seat, turned me toward the door and escorted me into the hall.

"What??"

"You're being moved into the Honors English class and that meets at the same time as my class. So you'll be leaving my class. I'm sorry to see you go."

"I don't want to go!" I burst into tears with a lot of deep sobbing. He took my books and walked me to my new English class.

The English teacher, Miss C, was very nice, very young, and right out of teacher college. She welcomed me into class.

I don't remember how many days later or the exact sequence when I met my friend, Teague. I seem to remember Miss C stepping out of the classroom or maybe I was early to class and she hadn't arrived. I think I was reading A Man from Uncle book. This girl came up to me "Wow! You like the Man from Uncle, too."

We became insepperable in class. Sat next to each other. Passed notes, whispered. Got scolded when we weren't talking or passing notes. I also had a pen with 10 different colored inks in it. Like the one pictured. The different pen tabs made the pen look like the hand scanner used by Dr. McCoy (my hero) from another favorite television program Star Trek. Sometimes when Miss C passed by me, I'd hold the pen up and quietly make whistling noises like the scanner from the show. That would reduce Teague and I to fits of giggles. It's also where I got my first nickname that followed me through high school. Teague called me Bones the same nickname as Dr. McCoy.

 Happy Anniversary, Q. The first 46 have been a great ride. Can't wait to see what the next 46 years bring for us.