A Decade Older and Worlds Apart
When my mother and I moved from Los Angeles to Miami, I was not happy and overall nonplussed by this disruption to my life. The four-day trip on the train was fun and would have been more so if it had been round trip.
I was almost twelve and finishing the 6th grade, and the thought of making new friends for a month and then heading off to junior high school without knowing anyone was not a concept I wanted to embrace. It was no secret that I was less than overjoyed, and I’m sure I did my share of rolling my eyes and exhaling with audible sighs that brought me the attention I was seeking.
We settled into the only room available on the ground floor of a three-story boarding house that was cozy and interesting. It was owned and run by a French Canadian man named Henri and he told us his name was pronounced on Ree. He was round and kind and doted on his guests with delicious home cooked meals and an offer to teach me the card game Cribbage.
My mother and I walked the five blocks to the elementary school to get me enrolled on a Friday afternoon. I’m not sure if she did this on purpose or not, but this gave me a chance to look the school and the kids over before having to be officially a part of it until Monday morning.
On the way home we stopped at a small grocery store and I met a girl named Mary Ann who told us she was shopping for her mother. She said that she had seen us move in and wanted to say hello. She asked me what grade I was in and then I asked her to see if we would be in the same class.
“I’m in sixth this year, but that’s only because I flunked last year. It’s not so bad, because my friends went on to junior high this year and I have a chance to catch up. I hope we’re in the same class, Connie. I have Mrs. Nairn and the other teacher is Mr. Hurka.”
I didn’t know what to say to her after she told she had failed a grade. I always did well in school and couldn’t imagine being held back a year. I smiled and nodded and said “Okay, bye” as she turned to leave the store.
“See, I told you you’d make friends quickly. She seems very nice.” My mother was an optimist and right now that meant a lot to me.
Henri was deep in thought with a game of croquet when we got back to the boarding house. I kept my head down and hurriedly made it up the porch steps and inside before he spoke to me.
The next day was Saturday and after I helped my mother line the dresser draws with my old socks and wash out some underwear in the sink, I told her I was going for a walk. She nodded and I exited through our kitchen and out to the porch. Then I quickly made my way down the steps and looked both ways to see if there was anyone around.
Sure enough, Mary Ann was standing in the carport of her house and waved me over. There was a man standing close to her and when she stepped closer to the driveway I spotted another man as well.
I approached this group cautiously, not sure what to expect. Mary Ann walked up to me and smiled a toothy grin.
“Connie, this is my father and my brother, Joey. He’s going to fight in a war next week. Do you want a soda?”
War and soda so close together.
Terri
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