RUNNEMEDE REMEMBERED

Growing up in a small town in Southern New Jersey


Monday, August 20, 2012

I remembered something.

I sometimes think I'm losing my mind, really!

I can't remember things, like where I put my glasses -- oops!  I'm wearing them.  I'm so forgetful that I can't remember to remove them (my glasses) when I go to bed.  I sleep on my back since two surgeries in rapid succession and often fall asleep reading, or listening to the radio.

But...I did remember something today.  Something in the recesses of my mind came to the front and I caught it.

I had a friend -- a playmate -- and her birthday was August 19th, yesterday if you're checking the date on this post.  She was born in August, so she got to go to school before I was permitted to attend.  I had to wait a year.

I know I've related this story before.  After about the third day of her attendance in kindergarten -- we had full-day kindergarten back then -- I decided I was old enough and smart enough to go to school and beside I was lonely.  My playmate was in school and I was on the outside wanting to be in.  I walked right into the school and started to look for my friend.

I was found before she was found and asked to leave the building -- gently, of course.  I said I wanted to go to school and the principal (Mrs. French) told me that I would be in school next year.  I can just see me stamping my foot and telling her, "But I want to go to school now!"

Linda's birthday was August 19th and that reminded me of all the fun times we had a children playing in a play house her dad built, sliding down a sliding board her dad built, learning our stringed instruments together -- piano and viola/violin. 

Linda was always ahead of me in school but we still had Saturdays for several years before we realized that one year DID make a difference and we sort of remained friends until she went to college and I stayed behind to finish high-school.

Happy birthday friend.  You beat me to 70.  You look great and I suppose you don't feel quite 70, while I surpass you finally, because I feel 80.

ttfn

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