I loved high school. I mean hey, I had the world at my feet and a fully deployed umbrella over my head. What wasn’t to love? I had a lot friends, a nice house and a closet chalk full of fabulous stuff. BUT. For as much as it pains me to admit this … there is one particular thing that, for a very long time, still felt like a fresh wound … like a frickin’ knife in my side. A dull painful knife at that. (And no, this isn’t going to be a post about losing my virginity or attending my first kegger. What? Now you don’t want to keep reading? Now that there’s no promise of teenage promiscuity, I’ve lost your interest. Oh, come on, this is better, really, because it still pisses me off and because after you read, you’ll want to throw something at my stupid little teenage self.)
So, like I said, I had a lot of friends. Which is exactly why, when on that fateful evening in May with the ENTIRE senior class gathered around the stage at one of the local country clubs for the big announcement, I expected to hear my name. Expected it, I did. I mean who the hell else could it have been? Drum roll … WHAT THE #$%@&?!!! Was it a joke? Was it a dream? A God-awful nightmare perhaps? No. Sadly, it was real … our stupid class president didn’t say my name. I wasn’t the one written down on that piece of paper … no … instead it was some other girl (yes, yes, I know I sound caddy but I’m having a true Valley Girl flashback moment here so do me the favor and humor me for a minute).
I remember smiling, errrr at least I’m pretty sure I did … and clapping and wanting to run and hide in the bathroom and vomit. I hadn’t been named prom queen. It was someone else.
Someone who, for the record, wasn’t even (dare I say it?) pretty. OK. Fine. She was pretty, but I was prettier (don’t judge me, I’m still in my Valley Girl flashback and if you can’t see the humor in this story, then stop reading and rather than leave me a nasty comment, spend your 30 seconds somewhere else).
Anyway, I was duped. And yes, I still want my tiara. The prom king? Not so much … WAHHH … at least I still had my closet … that aforementioned closet stuffed with perfectly fabulous things. Too bad it didn’t lead me off to a land of lions and witches and the sorts where I too could have been a queen that appeared from a wardrobe.
Today’s post inspired by the Word Press daily prompt: “Describe something you learned in high school.” As for what I learned … it’s simple:
“It is important to expect nothing, to take every experience, including the negative ones, as merely steps on the path, and to proceed.” ~ Ram Dass
Cover image from Pexels’ free library.
DISCLAIMER: These are my personal experiences and opinions. Nothing here is medical, nutritional, or therapeutic advice. Also, I’m a writer and an editor. And I try my best to make sure every post is articulate and free from errors. However, being that I edit my own work—and it’s next to impossible to properly edit your own work—I admit, occasionally there may be an error or two I miss. But doing so doesn’t make me an idiot so don’t be mean. Just smile, pat yourself on the back for finding an error and be glad you’re not the only one who makes mistakes sometimes … xoxox
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