Party like it’s 1979
A friend’s little girl started kindergarten today, and it reminded me of my first day of school back in, oh, 1979.
I was so thrilled to get away from my crazy family, you couldn’t hold me back. I took the schoolbus (a long one, thanks!) and was on my merry little way. LOVED it.
I learned later that my mom and grandfather had trailed the bus, parked at the school and hid behind another parked car so that they could watch me.
They were shocked that I didn’t even look around. My whole life, I’m pretty convinced that they just could not believe the fact that I didn’t really NEED them. And that day was the first of thousands just like it — I just strutted straight up to the building and went to Miss Ashenbaugh’s room (Room 1 — I’ll never forget that) like I owned the damn place.
Other kids were clinging to their parents, who dropped them off. I had opted NOT to be dropped off. I seriously must have just been ready to get the fuck away from those people. Truly. I was so deprived of social contact as a wee one that ANY chance for escape was to be seized immediately, if not sooner.
Even today, I am a good 1,500 miles away from where I grew up, and I’m STILL trying to outrun the last of them! Why the hell doesn’t my mother GET it that the more you chase me, the faster I run away?
August 26th, 2010 at 12:05 PM
She’ll never get it because… well, some people just never do. They cannot function in any other mindset. I, too, do not want to be clung to like it’s life or death. Allow me to breathe, to be, and to do, and I’ll be there. But if you grab and squeeze, I’m outta there.
It’s sad. I feel pity that she cannot understand you.