If I could go back to high school...

[jhelms]

Thank you!

[James]

Well put Camille ! Karma points for the both of you

[jhelms]

Thanks!

[Lisa]

Jeff- I am soooo glad to have another long winded poster like me here! Listen, your story was wonderful and I loved every word of it. I look forward to hearing more just like it so don't you ever think we aren't here enjoynig your posts. I also know exactly what you mean about 'needing this outlet'. I think we can all collectively thank Clark for brainstorming this for us- and James for being the technical end of things. How nice it is to be able to 'smell the roses' even at this age -- hell its never too late!

[jhelms]

Thank you Lisa!

[Camille]

High school was an outlet for me, it was social time. I hated my home life. My mother paid more attention to my step father than me, catered to his whims and wishes and I did NOT get along with him. He always had negative things to say about me like, you're too fat, you're not like my children they know how to shut up, you're too spoiled, you don't appreciate anything, your friends are losers, you dress like a tramp. It was so bad that on the weekends he convinced my mother that I was sneaking around doing stuff I never even thought of doing and kept me from my friends. I had to stay in my room and study. The only time I could leave my room was to use the bathroom and do chores. During the summer I had to check back home all the time, that is IF I was allowed to leave the house, and report to him where I was because he told my mother all my friends were a bad influence on me, and if she didn't keep a close eye on me I'd come home pregnant. The only reprieve I had was Monday-Friday during the school year. Because my home life sucked, my school work suffered and I really didn't give 2 shits about anything, after all the ones that should care about me didn't give a rats ass about me so what the heck. Then back at Dan McCarty Middle School I remember hearing about race riots at Central. That scared the shit out of me and for the longest time I kept to myself not knowing what would happen. Again thank goodness for teachers and the friends I quickly made. My step father did die, March of 1986, I hate to say it, but I was so freaking happy. The day he died I got my mothers trust back, my freedom, and I was finally able to start feeling like I was somebody again and not an imperfect piece of shit like he always made me feel. I was able to advance through to 12th grade, graduate with honors, and put all that teenage angst crap behind me. Would I go back to high school, hell yeah you bet I would, because when I got off that bus there were people there that were strangers that treated me with dignity, respect and trusted and cared about me.

[James]

When I met you in Orr's class Camille, you were one of the girls that laughed with me and not at me. For that, I thank ya.

I had no idea what your home life was like, but I hope for that brief time I was able to make your day brighter.

[Camille]

Yeah you definitely did make my 55 minutes in Orr's class pleasant. Remember that one guy that did nothing but sleep in his class? He'd come in put his head on the desk and stay that way the whole period. I think his name was Glen Stukel?

[James]

Not sure on the name, but I remember Orr let him sleep cause he didn't disturb the class like I did. So when I asked if I could sleep he told me to write an essay

Son of a......

[Camille]

I wonder what Orr did with all those essays? I know he had a parrot, maybe he used them to line the bottom of the bird's cage.

[James]

If that fat, red-headed elf used my hard work to line the bottom of his parrot cage.....so help me

[Clark]

lol

[Camille]

He did look like a reject from Santa's workshop didn't he. His fish white belly was always showing cause he couldn't tuck his shirt into his pants. You know who I see quite frequently? Coach Seitel. He has NOT changed one bit, what was the name we had for him? Was it Midget Frankenstein?

[James]

I remember that one and Tom Thumb