As I sat on my balcony a little while ago, watching the newness of the day start, and enjoying the cool breeze of a nice spring morning, my thoughts turned to my friends - mainly the ones I've left behind in Louisiana. I miss them dearly some days more so than others.
Something about this morning reminded me of one of my oldest and dearest friends, Briana. She and I have known each other since 6th grade. I transferred from the Magnet school to a regular school, she was in the office waiting for her mom to pick her up because she was sick, I was sitting in the office while my grandmother got my transfer sorted. I was embarrassed to be there. I didn't do bad on tests or anything at the Magnet school - I couldn't get to the first half of my classes on time because the campus was so big and I had 1/4 of my books with me for these classes. Book sack and arms full, I would run across campus - but could never get in my seat before the bell rang. So I lost points in each class. Hence my academic probation, resulting in my transfer to a school full of kids I went to elementary school with that I didn't like, and they didn't like me.
Anyway, Briana and I have been through everything together. In 8th grade we got into a fight, over God knows what, and we didn't talk for nearly the whole year. I fell in with a bad crows after that, and things happened to me that should never happen to a person, especially a girl.....
......but we made up and everything was fine. We had a few little spats in high school but nothing major - we were in different circles in high school. All the popular girls loved her, but they couldn't stand me for some reason. Whatever - if I coulda, I woulda made Voodoo dolls of them all...*sigh*
After High School we were still friends. I was always at her house - we were inseparable, did everything together. One night, instead of staying at her house, we went to visit some friends, who were guys. We wound up staying the night there. Completely innocent I assure you. The guys didn't like me in that way, and the feeling was mutual. And Briana was as pure as the driven snow. She was a tiny thing - but don't cross her, or try to force her to do something she didn't want to do. Strongest person I know.
Anyway, so we get up the next morning and drive to her house (a trailer). When we pulled onto her street - a lot of people were standing in front of her trailer. We were like 'what's going on?' We thought maybe her mom was doing something crazy - Gerri tended to do that.....she liked to PARTY. But it wasn't Gerri. It was the trailer. It was all black and charred and puffs of smoke rising from it in scattered places. The fire department had come and gone. I had a part in my car that I was scheduled to have replaced that morning. Being half awake, and half in shock, I did the STUPIDEST thing. I left Briana there with the on-lookers to go get my part, I think a headlight replaced. I was an idiot. I apologized later when I realized how what I had done was so awful. She of course forgave me, but she never forgot.
We both kept thinking what a good thing it was that we fell asleep at our friends house. When I stayed with Briana I would always sleep on their couch. The weird thing - the fire on the end of the couch where I would lay my head. *shudder*
But let me move on to Face Book - such a wonderful invention - mainly for the art of Time Suckage, but too, it has allowed me to re-connect with lost friends. For instance my friend Damaris. Her parents were missionaries in Mexico. Her father was killed in Mexico when she was young, and her mom brought her home to Louisiana, and put her in our school - which was part of the church. We were instant friends, joined at the hip. She spoke Spanish - stupid me didn't try to learn.
Facebook has let me find one of the COOLEST chicks I ever met, or ever will meet, Damie. I met Damie in High School. We were part of a small quirky little circle. We were what was considered the freaks. 99.9% of the kids at our school were always in Girbaud jeans, Polo shirts, Bows in their hair. Every hair in place - perfection. Us. Think Nirvana, Janis Joplin, etc. We like music all kinds. We dressed how we felt, if that meant gypsy skirts with combat boots - well.... Anyway, Damie was always super cool. Kind of had this quiet wisdom. So glad I found her again on FB - she hasn't changed a bit!
Then there's Mark. My sophomore year of H.S. brought my mom back into my life - that a story for another time. SO I decided to give the whole "mom" thing a go. I moved in with her down in Buras, LA. which is in the Delta of the Mississippi River - the end of the world. When I got to the school the first day - it was like the school I just came from, only - the kids weren't looking at me with disdain - it was with a sort of awe, like "she looks so cool" - one person told me I looked like I just stepped out of a magazine - I was wearing black jeans and old faded black Banana Republic t-shirt and a flannel shirt over it. Chokers around my neck 3 earings in each ear, and dark lipstick. I looked at her like she was the one who was smokin something - not me!
So I was the latest curiosity - but I found the others just like me, who were all guys. I was the only girl evidentaly that listened to their kind of music. In this group was my friend Mark - I talk thin guy, with somewhat long hair, who never said much to anyone. Very quiet and introverted. But we talked, he was cool, I liked Mark. We would write each other notes in class and pass them to each other in the hallway in between classes. Mark was 1 year ahead of me, or maybe 2. I made friends with other kids to, girls who dressed more "normal". They would freak when they would see me talking to Mark. They thought he was strange, and weird. I tried to explain to them, but they didn't want to get it, so I didn't bother trying. I lost touch with Mark after he graduated. But you know, I kept EVERY note he ever wrote me. I think they are in storage at my dad's, unless they all got tossed when my brother and his wife moved into the house after us, and did a clean-through.
So I found Mark on FB, and now, after much pleading and encouraging from me and a few others, he finally started his own blog. He's very sharp, witty and interesting, and if you get a chance go here and read his blog!
Something about this morning reminded me of one of my oldest and dearest friends, Briana. She and I have known each other since 6th grade. I transferred from the Magnet school to a regular school, she was in the office waiting for her mom to pick her up because she was sick, I was sitting in the office while my grandmother got my transfer sorted. I was embarrassed to be there. I didn't do bad on tests or anything at the Magnet school - I couldn't get to the first half of my classes on time because the campus was so big and I had 1/4 of my books with me for these classes. Book sack and arms full, I would run across campus - but could never get in my seat before the bell rang. So I lost points in each class. Hence my academic probation, resulting in my transfer to a school full of kids I went to elementary school with that I didn't like, and they didn't like me.
Anyway, Briana and I have been through everything together. In 8th grade we got into a fight, over God knows what, and we didn't talk for nearly the whole year. I fell in with a bad crows after that, and things happened to me that should never happen to a person, especially a girl.....
......but we made up and everything was fine. We had a few little spats in high school but nothing major - we were in different circles in high school. All the popular girls loved her, but they couldn't stand me for some reason. Whatever - if I coulda, I woulda made Voodoo dolls of them all...*sigh*
After High School we were still friends. I was always at her house - we were inseparable, did everything together. One night, instead of staying at her house, we went to visit some friends, who were guys. We wound up staying the night there. Completely innocent I assure you. The guys didn't like me in that way, and the feeling was mutual. And Briana was as pure as the driven snow. She was a tiny thing - but don't cross her, or try to force her to do something she didn't want to do. Strongest person I know.
Anyway, so we get up the next morning and drive to her house (a trailer). When we pulled onto her street - a lot of people were standing in front of her trailer. We were like 'what's going on?' We thought maybe her mom was doing something crazy - Gerri tended to do that.....she liked to PARTY. But it wasn't Gerri. It was the trailer. It was all black and charred and puffs of smoke rising from it in scattered places. The fire department had come and gone. I had a part in my car that I was scheduled to have replaced that morning. Being half awake, and half in shock, I did the STUPIDEST thing. I left Briana there with the on-lookers to go get my part, I think a headlight replaced. I was an idiot. I apologized later when I realized how what I had done was so awful. She of course forgave me, but she never forgot.
We both kept thinking what a good thing it was that we fell asleep at our friends house. When I stayed with Briana I would always sleep on their couch. The weird thing - the fire on the end of the couch where I would lay my head. *shudder*
But let me move on to Face Book - such a wonderful invention - mainly for the art of Time Suckage, but too, it has allowed me to re-connect with lost friends. For instance my friend Damaris. Her parents were missionaries in Mexico. Her father was killed in Mexico when she was young, and her mom brought her home to Louisiana, and put her in our school - which was part of the church. We were instant friends, joined at the hip. She spoke Spanish - stupid me didn't try to learn.
Facebook has let me find one of the COOLEST chicks I ever met, or ever will meet, Damie. I met Damie in High School. We were part of a small quirky little circle. We were what was considered the freaks. 99.9% of the kids at our school were always in Girbaud jeans, Polo shirts, Bows in their hair. Every hair in place - perfection. Us. Think Nirvana, Janis Joplin, etc. We like music all kinds. We dressed how we felt, if that meant gypsy skirts with combat boots - well.... Anyway, Damie was always super cool. Kind of had this quiet wisdom. So glad I found her again on FB - she hasn't changed a bit!
Then there's Mark. My sophomore year of H.S. brought my mom back into my life - that a story for another time. SO I decided to give the whole "mom" thing a go. I moved in with her down in Buras, LA. which is in the Delta of the Mississippi River - the end of the world. When I got to the school the first day - it was like the school I just came from, only - the kids weren't looking at me with disdain - it was with a sort of awe, like "she looks so cool" - one person told me I looked like I just stepped out of a magazine - I was wearing black jeans and old faded black Banana Republic t-shirt and a flannel shirt over it. Chokers around my neck 3 earings in each ear, and dark lipstick. I looked at her like she was the one who was smokin something - not me!
So I was the latest curiosity - but I found the others just like me, who were all guys. I was the only girl evidentaly that listened to their kind of music. In this group was my friend Mark - I talk thin guy, with somewhat long hair, who never said much to anyone. Very quiet and introverted. But we talked, he was cool, I liked Mark. We would write each other notes in class and pass them to each other in the hallway in between classes. Mark was 1 year ahead of me, or maybe 2. I made friends with other kids to, girls who dressed more "normal". They would freak when they would see me talking to Mark. They thought he was strange, and weird. I tried to explain to them, but they didn't want to get it, so I didn't bother trying. I lost touch with Mark after he graduated. But you know, I kept EVERY note he ever wrote me. I think they are in storage at my dad's, unless they all got tossed when my brother and his wife moved into the house after us, and did a clean-through.
So I found Mark on FB, and now, after much pleading and encouraging from me and a few others, he finally started his own blog. He's very sharp, witty and interesting, and if you get a chance go here and read his blog!
Glad you could reconnect with some friends from way back. I only had about three friends from back then and I wouldn't wish to reconnect with any of them. Most of the kids I WOULD like to reconnect with don't seem to be on Facebook. HOWEVER, I have made some new, though physically distant, friends while blogging, so things have still turned out on the positive side.
ReplyDeleteI forgot about the 3 earrings in one ear. And I'd like to thank you once again for introducing me to Damie. We hit it off quite well and hers is fast becoming a friendship I value quite a bit. Now don't get all doe-eyed on me. The same goes for you. Thank you for coming back into my life, my dear friend.
ReplyDelete@ Gorges, I know what you mean! And yeah, I think you 'rock' too! :)
ReplyDelete@ Mark, yeah Damie is cool - I knew you guys would hit it off! You have loved my crew in Baton Rouge.
I do now.
ReplyDeleteThis was fun to read, especially knowing Briana & knowing where you went to school! it was Istrouma magnet, right?! Girl, that place was HUGE! Like a community college haha! Too big for an 11 year old to get to where they needed to be on time! I got sent to the office three times at that place - once for chewing gum & once for being tardy to one of my classes too many times. (The other time i pulled a chair out from under my lab partner, to be funny, but my teacher didn't think it was funny! HA!)
ReplyDeleteI actually DID get on academic probation b/c i had trouble studying in certain classes. Thus my transfer to Victory in 8th grade!
Yeah, some of those popular gals at CHS were mean!! The ones in music theatre were always so sweet to me. The other ones - not so much!
@ Mel, yeah, it was Istrouma. OMG! I hated leaving there. I hated CMS & CHS even more! Those girls were VICIOUS! I pray that their girls don't put others through what they put me and others through.
ReplyDeleteAt least I don't have to worry about my kids being in school with them!