19 Days till 30- 1988

John graduated this year and what I remember is that my mom was thankful that it happened. I don't think high school was John's cup of tea. John and I were never that close while we were growing up: not for any reason in particular, but we just weren't. I wonder if it is true in most families with four kids that the youngest and oldest are closest and then the middles pair off with one another. I have always thought that Jenny and John were a lot closer than I ever was to John. They get each other's corny, but wonderful sense of humor. I was in the fourth grade that year and I was in a split classroom with 4th and 5th graders. I loved Ms. Monroe. She was from Scotland and an environmentalist. We used to play this board game about saving the dolphins and she always said that if you are cleaning in the bathroom it is best to use elbow grease instead of too much Comet. It took me a while to realize elbow grease wasn't some British product I'd never heard of. This was also the year that I had Ohio history with Mrs. Bland. She knew my dad and one day in class when we were talking about what our parents did for a living I said my dad was just a janitor at the high school. She told the entire class how much we should appreciate our custodial staff and what they do for us often goes unnoticed. Then she told me that I should call him a custodian because it was a profession. I was totally embarrassed, but kind of proud at the same time. In this same class I sat next to Domenico Cavellero. He was from Italy and all the girls thought he was so cute. I will forever remember him because of what he said to me one day during class. My mom had cut off all my hair because I had broken my arm roller skating and she wanted to make it easier for me to get ready in the morning. Plus, I think she has always loved short hair and it was her way of giving it to me without too much of a protest. Anyway, one day when I was particularly swooning over this boy, he leaned over to me and said, "You know, if you had a better face and better hair, I would date you." Ouch! Take that Domenico Cavellero, where ever you are!!