Memories of meeting
Okay, serious rambling ahead......
I was thinking about what Hannah wrote concerning what we do or do not remember. Like, I remember our Green group -- and I sorta connect that to when we all started hanging out. When we all "met", if you will. But maybe other people remember our coming-together as happening at another time, or in different increments over time. What are all of your takes on this? I know we "assembled" over time -- but when did all meet, so to speak? I'm running through my memories fast here, and will gladly take your revisions.......
I'm always thankful that I was young for my class. Because of that, I wasn't able to take driver's ed until after my freshman year of high school. And one day, after class, I found myself waiting outside the Hill Building with LeAnn ..... and I think maybe Hannah and Ellie were there, too. And maybe Eileen. And maybe Pam. (See, scattered memories, but they're still there somewhere!) Anyway, I don't know if you all remember that time, but I always think of it as when I first got to know some of you in the '94 class. I mean, we had always known who each other were, I think, but it was really hard to get to know people outside of your own class until high school.
Jen was an exception to this rule for me, however, because she and I met through scouts almost more than through school. Then, we managed volleyball together in middle school -- ah, yes, that era of too-huge glasses (both of us), horribly permed hair (me), and adorable cat sweaters (her). Then, I remember lots of scout trips in the Blount suburban with the sisters whom I like to think adopted me for much of my teenage existence.
Then the Green. I remember Jen and I started that up (like, I remember going in to talk to Giesbrecht), and then we had a meeting that basically started our "clique," you might say. I have no idea why our devotion to important social issues was such a revelation to our classmates. Slight tangent here, but at my 10-year reunion, Marty Teufel told me (after a few Solo cups of beer, of course) that he had always admired the fact that I spoke my mind in high school about the stuff no one else would say. And I thought, yeah, wow, thanks, and you couldn't admit that 10 years ago because........? But I know the answer to that question of course: it was high school.
The Green led to creative writing/forensics, etc., but who took what when? I know that during my sophomore year, creative writing consisted of me, Gretchen, Crystal Hicks, and Megan Schroeder -- that must have been the last of the small creative writing classes as our "group"dominated that scene for the rest of the time. (Ok, and now I'm done with this trip down amnesia lane because it is making me think of the stuff I wrote in high school which might only be worthy as Evanescence lyrics now.....)
So I guess my question is -- in each of your minds, when did we all "meet" one another?
I was thinking about what Hannah wrote concerning what we do or do not remember. Like, I remember our Green group -- and I sorta connect that to when we all started hanging out. When we all "met", if you will. But maybe other people remember our coming-together as happening at another time, or in different increments over time. What are all of your takes on this? I know we "assembled" over time -- but when did all meet, so to speak? I'm running through my memories fast here, and will gladly take your revisions.......
I'm always thankful that I was young for my class. Because of that, I wasn't able to take driver's ed until after my freshman year of high school. And one day, after class, I found myself waiting outside the Hill Building with LeAnn ..... and I think maybe Hannah and Ellie were there, too. And maybe Eileen. And maybe Pam. (See, scattered memories, but they're still there somewhere!) Anyway, I don't know if you all remember that time, but I always think of it as when I first got to know some of you in the '94 class. I mean, we had always known who each other were, I think, but it was really hard to get to know people outside of your own class until high school.
Jen was an exception to this rule for me, however, because she and I met through scouts almost more than through school. Then, we managed volleyball together in middle school -- ah, yes, that era of too-huge glasses (both of us), horribly permed hair (me), and adorable cat sweaters (her). Then, I remember lots of scout trips in the Blount suburban with the sisters whom I like to think adopted me for much of my teenage existence.
Then the Green. I remember Jen and I started that up (like, I remember going in to talk to Giesbrecht), and then we had a meeting that basically started our "clique," you might say. I have no idea why our devotion to important social issues was such a revelation to our classmates. Slight tangent here, but at my 10-year reunion, Marty Teufel told me (after a few Solo cups of beer, of course) that he had always admired the fact that I spoke my mind in high school about the stuff no one else would say. And I thought, yeah, wow, thanks, and you couldn't admit that 10 years ago because........? But I know the answer to that question of course: it was high school.
The Green led to creative writing/forensics, etc., but who took what when? I know that during my sophomore year, creative writing consisted of me, Gretchen, Crystal Hicks, and Megan Schroeder -- that must have been the last of the small creative writing classes as our "group"dominated that scene for the rest of the time. (Ok, and now I'm done with this trip down amnesia lane because it is making me think of the stuff I wrote in high school which might only be worthy as Evanescence lyrics now.....)
So I guess my question is -- in each of your minds, when did we all "meet" one another?
posted by Lesley at 5:33 PM
15 Comments:
Does it sound weird when I say I don't remember not knowing you in Marion?
As for everyone else, it had to be the Green. Which I had TOTALLY forgotten about. Didn't we have a globe with a peace symbol over it for a logo?
As for everyone else, I don't remember. What I do remember is Sarah (sorry, but you know I love you tons!) and I having some HUGE fight and telling me that you were HER FRIENDS not mine. Which she got over.
All of my social activism is put into the kids now and fighting for them. And while I can still be feministic, I'm more about fairness for everyone. Kids suck up all the activism time I have. I think that's why so many volunteers are in their early 20's or mid 40's.
I have a REALLY hard time putting this together. For me personally, it goes a bit like this:
Age 5: I think I knew Ellie from piano lessons, but maybe this was a bit later. Did you take Suzuki violin, Hannah? Because you seem mixed up in those memories too.
Bown-Corby (remember our school was called that??): Hannah and I were the two children in our class that were the most fearful of lightning, thunder, power outages, and the scary safety filmstrip where the little girl gets hit by the bus when she tries to retrieve her valentine from underneath it. I cried about everything then and Hannah is the only other person I remember ever sharing my fear. I remember Ellie during these years but not as much, because I don't think we were in the same class every year.
Big jump through elementary school when friends fade in and out year by year as classes change.
Junior high: I was a huge loser because I didn't know how to be myself. No friends in 7th grade.
8th grade: still a loser, still didn't know how to be myself (that didn't resolve until I was 21), but Eileen, Hannah, and Mariah rescued me from friendlessness.
High school: freshman year, enter Gretchen, and now there's a blur but I think The Green plus Creative Writing the next year were responsible for solidifying Lesley whom I do remember from drivers' ed. Also the Blounts of course, and whoever else was at The Green.
Sophomore year: Enter the boys. This was gradual, since Ellie and I poked fun at Mark the first day of French class.
Junior year: Enter Catie and the twins, and that pretty much fills it out, I think. Sorry this was so long.
For me:
Age 7-8: I remember LeAnn and I having fun in PE in first and second grade. Hyper jumping jacks! Comforting Hannah from the start gun on field day in second grade.
4th Grade: LeAnn and I were good friends for a little while. Had desks next to each other and sat at lunch. Then I made up some story to my family about she and I being (whatever my grade school mind could only make guesses as)a couple just to make me feel important. Catie ruined it by blabbing my lie to Renee and Allison, and LeAnn (rightly so) didn't talk to me again. Dorkness abounds.
Junior High: THE NINTH CIRCLE OF HELL
High School: I began the journey of figuring myself out with the entrance of all of you, Eric, Mark.... I think Eric had been my only friend up til this point, and suddenly with our little clique (I still hate that word)I had more friends than I knew what to do with.
I remember the first meeting between the guys and the girls: at the park in June 2002. I can't fully remember, but I think that was when Jen hooked up with J.W. Goering (why is it that anyone must use his full name when mentioning him?) and we were all looking forward to creative writing class together. I really owe it to all of you for becoming a writer. Don't know where I'd be now if it weren't for that day. I remember lots of other tidbits (some embarrassing of course, most very lovely) like working on the newsletter and hanging out with the girls at the park, meeting Topher and thinking how perfect he was for her, fun at forensics meets, laughing with Mark about how unique we all were.... terrific.
After high school: Jen and I became good friends at this point. She came home from K-State for the summer and worked at C Mart (remember C Mart before it became a reliquary of Marion's past?). I worked at the hospital with Charity cleaning up old people then I'd walk to C Mart with no shoes on and my guitar strapped around my back and keep Jen company until she closed, then we hung out at the lake or my apartment giving each other tarot readings, philosophizing with the stars, and just having a grand old time. We had a lot of fun.
College: Became good friends with Ellie at this point. We were each discovering what it was like to be in romantic relationships and loved talking about it and comparing notes. When I came back to Kansas from living in Colorado for three years she was enjoying a social high in Chi-town and we kept a fun dialogue going off and on through online chats. Eric and I kept in contact and still see each other on occasion (he was living in K.C. for awhile, then he moved back to Marion, now he's in St. Louis).
And now here we are, altogether again from various points of the globe. Excellent.
Well, okay. There are baby pictures of me and Mariah, and me and ellie, and probably all three of us together. You can trace these friendships back to our parents, and so we should give them our thanks. The three of us plus Jesse Bowers were in a little hippy preschool that our parents created.
I met Eileen at swimming lessons before Kindergarten. I remember almost drowning in the pool, and I don´t think my mom made me go back.
LeAnn...that was kindergarten, and I was so fascinated by her, because she could already read and she brought juice in a can for snacktime instead of having milk like the rest of us.
It must have been first grade when I noticed Lesley, because she had the hair I wanted...of course, exactly the opposite of what I had. Garrett was that year too, and I do remember he and LeAnn being friends. Mostly I think I just stood around being overwhelmed and wondering where Ellie was(I had some codependency issues.) Oh...the two of us and Pam took piano for a year together in Hesston. I think 2nd grade.
Charity appeared with her red glasses in sixth grade. Sarah...that was algebra class in high school. I think we had the same geometry class the next year with a few others. I think I was supposed to be Jennifer´s makeup artist for that play when I was a freshman, and she gave me a really pretty beaded bracelet that I loved. Gretchen was the new kid that year...I think I just decided to be friends with her, same with Mark the next year. And then Catie.
I find myself having to post a postscript to my own post (post haste!)
Like Garrett, (and I think this is the year he meant) I remember 1992 as being the year/summer/season that seemed to bring us all together as friends in an especially nice way, during my junior year and right afterwards. I attribute so much to you all, in ways so similar to what Garrett described -- the desire to write, create, and not feel enslaved to the idiocy that seemed to run rampant in my own class. I was sad at my 10-year reunion, because aside from it being a great weekend with my near-sister Kristine, it didn't bring home any other people I REALLY wanted to see. (Thank goodness my class decided to skip the 15-year madness -- maybe by 20 we'll finally be able to talk normally with one another...that's another story.)
And I remember our newsletter that Garrett mentioned.... what was it called? Oh, my, I'm sure I still have copies of that somewhere -- I'll be digging them out soon.
I remember Mariah writing a column about the Murphy Brown/Dan Quayle controversy.
Once I went to college, I feel as though I immediately lost touch with so many of you -- and I look back at that time none-too-fondly. Jen and I had pretty much parted ways by that time (I take A LOT of blame for this -- I remember how damn self-righteous I tended to get) -- and I was in a lot of pain about our rift but didn't really acknowledge it then. And I somehow lost touch with LeAnn and Ellie, seeing them only sporadically. But back on the Marion-front, I seem to think my friendship with Mark solidified around this time. And later, I got to know Mariah and Catie a bit better during the times I retreated to Marion and sulked around when Topher spent that year in Turkey. I remember a particularly fun outing with them one spring Saturday, shopping for swimsuits and CDs in Wichita (I picked up Everclear and No Doubt that day; Mariah got Poe and the Butthole Surfers for Tyler). I somewhere have a poem I wrote about both of them for my poetry class that year. And I did spend that weekend with Hannah in April in Lawrence. All wonderful times -- our group splitting somewhat, yet I found times with one or two of "Us" to be really wonderful. Like Garrett talked about with Ellie and Jen.
One time, a friend I hadn't talked to in a few years told me, upon our reunion through letters, a Spanish saying that basically translated to "The world spins many times." And eventually, friends come back together, spinning back towards one another, inescapably linked.
Mariah and Hannah, yes, from as long as I can remember.
I know I was completely jealous of LeAnn in grade school because Hannah was fascinated by her (and Hannah was MY friend, damn it!) but then we had so much fun together in Gifted. I think we were more just Gifted friends for a while, and it didn't move into an all-around friendship until high school, though.
Garrett was only on my radar as a classmate, and even then, just barely. Sarah, Lesley, Jennifer, not at all. As a kid, I didn't interact much with the outside world, so my memories during grade school really are of the desk space in front of me, and the internal worlds I'd create when bored in class.
High school:
Sarah and I in art class together, and Lesley taking advanced art at the same time. Sarah and I bonded quickly, and then solidly after Mr Versch took us into the dark room to scream at us for smirking at each other. (I remember walking the gravel road near Hannah's once, doing the intro to "Baby's Got Back" with her: "Oh. My. God. Becky. LOOK at her BUTT.")
Then came the Green, but it wasn't until the play in the spring that I got to know Jennifer or Lesley. With Biology class came Gretchen.
Sophomore year was French. I remember passing a note to LeAnn the first day after we met the new kid: "Mark est un dork." I'm horrified to remember that, actually, but, you know, high school was a brutal time. And then of course we ended up loving Mark.
Garrett was part of the group, but we didn't become close until college. He taught me how to inhale a cigarette when I decided it was time to try smoking pot. Nevermind that a joint and a cigarette are completely different--I still remember the fun we had that night.
I think Mariah and I were better friends after high school, too. Did she go to ESU for a time? I remember I was Catie's RA there, and she was one of the only reasons I made it through that year.
I realized with that comment about Catie, that makes two years of college I've said: "I wouldn't have made it through without them." College was not the greatest of all times.
Anyway. Mark. One of Lesley's e-mail in the beginning said she's had sporadic contact with him. Want to send him the link to this blog? I saw a contact page on his band's website, maybe get in touch with him through that?
LE, I STILL here your voice when that song comes on! That moment will be foreve seared on my brain!
Lesley was always in my class. Jennifer of course i have always known. LE can you say liverversch? And of course everyone else through my amazing math skills while everyone else had taken algebra the year before I was stuck in prealgebra thus taking algebra with freshman. Math is still not one of my strong areas.
Regarding Mark, I have never had an email address for him, but I do have a mailing address that I assume is still current. He sent me a CD last spring, my last contact with him. And the last time I saw him was a little less than two years ago, at Eastmoor. Anyway, we can try sending a message or link through his band's website. If no go there, we can snail mail some information to him. Also, what about Eric? Garrett, do you have an email address for him? I saw him over a year ago when he was still living in Marion, but we didn't trade info.
Oh, and the name of our newsletter was "The Inside View" ... for all you "Us" trivia buffs out there....
Oh my GOSH, I forgot how good a friend Garrett was to me at Bown Corby. Sorry Garrett...I think this is because boys don't register on my radar until 1992, which is TOTALLY the same memory for me as it is for you guys. I remember that evening at the park too, and that is another Beginning, probably the last beginning of Us.
I don't remember the newsletter. Was I not involved?
By the way, I've pulled out pen and paper again this week and started really writing, thanks to this. I may now actually write something that I like in the future.
"I remember that evening at the park too, and that is another Beginning, probably the last beginning of Us."
What evening?
Well, I can't remember how many of the girls were there, but Garrett and Mark and Eric were quarter-staff fighting in the park and we met them and just generally hung out after the boys finished trying to kill each other.
Man, us guys were such DORKS! Probably still are. How cool.
I remember that evening! I think it was, for me anyway, an introduction to Eric.
Post a Comment
<< Home