The new school year

I went to 12 different schools in 12 years, elementary through high school. I spent 3 years at my high school and 3 years at one elementary school. There were a lotta changes in those other years. I noticed over time the things I missed in this hodge-podge of education; I never diagrammed a sentence, I never understood math, I have poor grammar and punctuation skills. I did learn Tennessee history and State's Rights, that I was tone deaf and music lessons were futile, I could not sing, and Home Ec was stupid if your mother had no interest.

Back in the day, you know when everyone walked a thousand miles to school (I actually have family that claimed to take a boat across the ditch) there were lists of things you must bring with you. My mother  was not big on those lists. The only thing I remember my mother doing to accomplish the get these kids in school chore, was to wear a hat . . . once. Guess the hat thing did not work out as she never did it again.

Anyway, when I was in second grade I went to another new school. And a day or so later I was moved to a new classroom. So here I am in the new class and I do not have the stuff I am supposed to have. I think they put me in the wrong grade and then fixed it. Whatever, I was the kid without the stuff. When the lessons came up and you did not have your stuff you had to sit in the hall stairway as punishment. I spent so damn much time in the stairway I knew everyone in the school. There was no talking in the stairway but people gave you the look.

No flashcards, sit in the stairway, no jump rope, sit in the stairway, no whatever the fuck you need, sit in the stairway.

This is the same time I got the horrible stomach pains. I remember being paralyzed in pain and not being able to breathe without pain. The pain would last for 4 or 5 hours. I remember going to the hospital for tests and I remember the doctors saying "We need to see her when she is in pain". When you can't talk because of the pain that just does not work out well. Especially if you have a mother that can't figure out when her child is in pain, much less how to buy flashcards and a jump rope.

This is why I hate those damn lists for children to bring their stuff to school. There are parents that are just not that smart, or not that interested, or just plain cannot afford it, or just do not give a damn. So why are the kids left holding that humiliation?

Tomorrow, how I paid my mother back, or why my mother liked my brothers better, or why we are a non-functioning family or shit happens and get over it, because truly no one else cares.