Bolts from the Blue

There I was, tired, a bit fed up and really not feeling wildly excited about another Monday. Then - turned on the laptop and SHAZAM: a message from an old friend - predating many of those I have written about here. Mary Flanigan (as was) , one of three sisters that I had attended AISC with. And there is a Facebook page for the school - and pictures. I got to see Miss Jagtiani across the years. It was such a rollercoaster of emotion - delight, angst, excitement. One of the best Facebook finds to date.

9th Grade AISC

And there we all are - that's me sitting on the bench between Josie Flanigan and either Mitchell or Michael. What was lovely to see was the my legs weren't that bad at all. Behind me with the blond hair and the attitude is my best friend of that time Gail Hughes. More about her in a minute. Standing next to her is Ole (Ule as we called him). What you are seeing there is the very start of the naughty years - the skirt length should give you an idea of just how naughty they were going to get.

THE TEACHING STAFF: Mr Wiklander (bearded) behinds Miss Jagtiani, Mme Janah one away to his left, Mt Knaus the Principal in the centre and Mary Ann Dasgupta standing on the left wearing salwar kameeze

The strange this was for all the happy memories, the voices crying out through the years -Avery Lackner leaving Miss Jagtiani speechless when he explaining ot us all that "House  of the Rising Sun" was about a whorehouse - Barbara Munoz bringing in the hats so we could all learn the Cucuracha , the voice I heard most loudly were of a group of older that I longed to be part of.

I practised my American accent in front of the mirror for hours - read all the Archie comics I could and prepared to show myself as worthy of being  in their gang.

As you can see they had that cool girl smirk. Anyway I  walked out at recess to join the kickball game - and, passing said to Lori (next to Josie -smiling) , "Gee isn't hot today?" - Only it came out as "Ghee isn't hot today?' A valuable lesson for all - if trying to learn the vernacular don't just read Archie comics but find someone who can tell you how certain words are pronounced! Needless to say i was a washout and from that day forth suffered some really nasty verbal bullying.

I was moved into a bigger class - 7th grades I guess and we had Miss Jagtiani and Mr Wiklander and here things began to get even tougher - there were a group of boys - Bert Knauss the principle's son and the twins Michael and Mitchell whose sole aim in life was to make my live miserable - and they did.

To shut them up and to try and get a little peace - I agreed to be a bunny for their Playboy club (they had all discovered their father's Playboys that year) and to give them a private strip tease in return for a Hershey Bar. 

We went out to Tolly on a deserted afternoon and in the empty stand found somewhere where no one could see us. Just as I was shakingly trying to take my bra off Gail arrived and gave them a ver strong piece of her mind, all the while idly playing with her flik knife. They fled and she walked me back to changing rooms making me a promise that all the bullying would stop right there. And it did  . And she was my hero fro ever after for that.

Of course it all came out - and Mr. Knaus taught me one the most effective punishments I have ever know - he made me tell my parents and arrange to bring them into school for a chat. That gave so much anxiety and was be far the  worst and most miserable time of reflexion ever.

From that day on I was happy as happy  could be: I had  a new friend - and she was the best!