Being A Popular...drug dealer?

My sister, our big brother, and I

Being popular is a big responsibility, even on a 4th grade level. I had boys bringing me gifts and asking me to be their girl friend. My first love had been Chris in 1st grade. He broke my heart when he drank out of the drinking fountain at the same time as that hussy Jessica. Of course this was just a rumor but I believed it. My big brother had helped me write a letter to Chris and that ended up getting read by my teacher because he couldn't read the big words my brother had helped me pen. I should have learned my lesson about letting my brother help me out in matters of love but there are sadly more stories where that came from.The point is I didn't want anyone to get hurt the way I had been. The truth is I loved Angelo. He was a cute little Spanish boy with dimples and a shy disposition like my own. So he was never brave enough to ask me to be his girl friend and I was not going to be mean so I just went out with who ever asked me. After all going out with someone didn't really mean anything any way. I was given a lot of jewelery and when my mom found out she said I couldn't accept gifts like that and that it was because I was to young. Now I realize that it was really because she suspected some shop lifting.

Front row Chris (red shirt), Jessica (white shirt), Me red and white top and Angelo next to me on the end.

Things carried on just fine for a while. I even had a answered prayer. You see I still had a little flame for Chris but he had moved and I didn't go to his school anymore. After my hair cut I just knew he would love me if he ever saw me again. I had prayed and prayed asking to be able to see Chris just one more time and I promised that if God would let me see him again I would never ask again. Well I saw him at the roller skating rink and I was right he liked me and I am pretty sure my fabulous hair had everything to do with it. It was wonderful flirting with him and when we left that day I knew I would never see him again and I never have. God had answered my prayer and I was satisfied.

     In order to maintain popularity you must start trends. I was not aware of this but started one accidentally that at first made me even more popular than I ever would have thought and then without even realizing it I became a drug dealer. I slipped a package of alka seltzer into my pocket to take to school. I had simply had a upset tummy the night before and was worried about having one at school. I was feeling not so well and wanted to take the alka seltzer but quickly realized that I didn't have a cup to dissolve it in. So I thought I would just place it on my tongue and get a drink from the drinking fountain. Well of course as soon as I put a piece of the tablet on my tongue it began to fizz and I found it entertaining so I showed my friend who then wanted a piece herself. Within a couple of weeks everyone was bring tablets to school trading, sharing and hiding. When one of us got caught the who thing was taken very seriously. There was a full investigation that led strait to you know who. There was a meeting with the principal and a letter home.

My beautiful parents 1970 something.

My parents were not strict with us. They had confidence it the principals they were teaching and in their children. They were intimate and playful with us. They knew me. Their response was all out gut wrenching laughter. They found the trail of who gave it to who totally hilarious and I think my mom may have even kept the letter. Not all parents responded like mine. My popularity hit rock bottom. Some were grounded and I am sure some were told to be nice but don't be friends. My hair cut had taken me to the top and now a stupid little piece of alka seltzer had washed it all away.

 I did still have one fan. This awful boy who would talk boldly about things kids shouldn't talk about. He was to me yucky both inside and out. One day he came to the door of my house and asked if he could walk me to school. I was devastated. My Mother insisted that I had to do it even though I had openly said no I think I may have even shut the door on him. She took me aside and scolded me about kindness and sent me out the door. We began walking and when we were a safe distance from the house I told him that I might have to walk to school with him but I was not going to walk on the same side of the street. I crossed the street and that put an end to that nonsense. Over time the alka seltzer feasco faded and I was fine again. But I was no longer popular, for one thing everyone had my hair style and I didn't have the bold personality required to reclimb the social ladder. The next year my family moved again and I went right back to my shy self.