If you asked 100 kids whether they wanted to move towns when they were in the 9th grade, probably 101 would say, "No way!"(there would be another kid sneaking in just to say "Hell no!"). At first, the thought of moving from Rockford to Springfield was typically nightmarish. However, upon further reflection, I came to realize that there could be a silver lining. In junior high, I was a dork...and a geek....(probably like most 8th graders feel) with loser friends, no girlfriend, and no immediate prospects for a girlfriend...and probably typecast as such. How bad could starting over really be?
So in September 1960, we moved to Springfield and bought a house in Pasfield Park, and I was enrolled at U.S. Grant Junior High in the 9th grade. I got a cooler haircut (flattop), cooler clothes (nice jeans, a nice belt and yellow cotton button-down sirt), and tried to act really cool as I entered US Grant on my first day. School had been in session for a month already, so the Assistant Principal showed me to my first period class - Social Studies - and I took a seat in the back row. The teacher did not introduce me or comment on the new kids arrival. I did have a textbook, but had no idea what page we were on, so I leaned over to the cute girl in the next seat, and very coolly asked what page we were on, when "Bam!" I was hit right in the temple with a piece of chalk. The teacher glared at me and said that there would be no talking in his class unless I was called upon. "Yes, sir" I answered....meekly and embarassed and very un-coolly. Welcome to Springfield, Illinois!
No comments:
Post a Comment