Because I love my mother, and because my parents have kindly let me store endless amounts of crap in my old bedroom for far longer than they should have, I cleaned out some boxes today and came across various fragments of my life from different time periods. Pictures of long-deceased pets, letters from helpful mentoring adults, ribbons won in swimming competitions (mostly Fourth Places and Honorable Mentions, but WHATEVER), and little bits and bobs that I thought were important enough to keep.
And then there were the notes. Before Facebook and MySpace, before cell phones, pagers, email and Internet even, there were notes. Folded into little origami squares and decorated with FOR YOUR EYES ONLY!!!!!!!!!!! and DON'T TELL ANYONE!!!!!!!!!!
Below are excerpts from ACTUAL NOTES passed between myself and some friends in the seventh grade, 1994-1995.
All names have been changed, except for mine of course. Which is unfortunate. Because...well....apparently I was not....the nicest..................anyway. I digress.
Behold.
FIRST LOVE:
Z- Please don't get shy and not talk to me like last year and I will gladly go out with you, Okay? I don't care what other people say. It's my decision, and someone like you, with your personality can't be a dork. So don't listen to them.
Okay?
OK, it's a deal. Love, Z
Alrighty then.
Z- Sorry. You're nice as a friend, but not as a boyfriend. I hope you find someone nice. -Lindsay
PS: don't get teed- let's be good friends again. Okay?
What do you mean?
Uh, Z, I just let you off. Let's not go out anymore is what I said.
I know, but we're still friends. Can I sit with you at lunch?
We need the extra seat for N.
Ok. Sorry I couldn't call you back. I didn't want to call you after because it was 9:00pm.
Oh. That's not why I dumped you, if you're wondering.
I know. Why did you dump me (the whole truth).
Because you were moving too fast. Telling me you loved me? We went out for 2 days and you asked me to kiss you. You followed me everywhere and when I tried to get the message across that I need my space, you ignored it. Why do you think I didn't wait for you this morning after band?
I just asked if you WANTED to kiss me. And you asked me if I loved you!
I suspected you were going too fast and I wanted to make sure.
Well I wasn't, sorry.
DEEP THOUGHTS:
P- This can be our notebook, okay? What r u doing this weekend? -L
L- I'm out of town all weekend. But Sunday I'll get back so we could get together that afternoon. What questions did you get wrong on the test? I got a B. I got #s 3 and 10 wrong. -P
P-I got 3, 5, 7, and 10 wrong. My first D. What a tragedy. Okay? -L
L- What are you doing on Sunday? Write a loooooong note back. Save me a seat at lunch. -P
L- You don't have to become friends with J again just not enemies. Did you give J that slam note? I really don't think (if you did) that giving that note is going to solve your problems. I think you should ask her why she all of a sudden hated you. Then ask her to tell you hy she felt that way. Then tell her how you felt. -P
P- I don't think I want to be her best friend anymore, but I don't want another enemy! Maybe I've taken this thing way out of proportion, but I'm going to get to the bottom of this and figure out what happened. I feel like screaming "What's going on here!" -L
L- Mr. G is ready to blow! -P
P- He is in a REALLY bad mood. You should've seen him this morning. He was so mad! -L
L- About what? -P
P- I don't know. -L
L- Maybe about his divorce. -P
P- That wuz years ago! -L
L- Don't you think the story we had to read was stupid? What are you and Z talking about? -P
P- Z just gave me a note to give to J. It says "I love ice skating. I love your hair. I love you. I can't wait to go skating." -L
L- What did he really write? -P
P- That's what he wrote! He asked me not to tell anybody. -L
L- Why doesn't he write a poem like: roses are red, violets are blue, but nothing is as pretty as you. Tell him I won't tell anyone what he wrote. Write a looooooong note back. -P
L- Algebra was fun at first but know its boring. Have you and Z gone on a date yet it's stupid to go out with someone and not go on a date. You know that new Cheerio commercial? I love that song. -P
L- Everyone is so surprised that I'm friends with you. Especially J. Everyone says you're soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo annoying. But your only annoying when you and Z act really stupid. -P
P- Why does J hate me so much? I've done nothing to her. I don't want to be her friend though. Do you know why she hates me? Maybe I should change schools. -L
L- Changing schools will not solve your problems. I don't know why J hates you. I wish I could tell you. what are you going to be for Halloween? -P
P- I'm going to be Cleopatra that Egyptian woman. J can get a life. If she's mad at me and won't tell me why, that's her problem and I'm not going to worry about it too much. -L
L- Then why do you keep bringing it up? -P
P- It bothers me I guess. It worries me more than I like to think it does. -L
L- That's okay. TALK TO J. -P
P- SHE WILL NOT LISTEN TO ME. She ignores me. -L
L- At least you've tried and she can't say that you didn't. -P
P- What r u doing today? I'm not staying after school and I don't have a violin lesson after all. Maybe we can study for Language Arts and Science. -L
L- We should. I don't think I'm doing anything. Maybe we can call our moms at lunch and say that your coming over to my house or I'm coming over to yours. -P
L- When are you going to dump Z? He's going to be really upset. The science review sheet is so easy! - P
P- At lunch or 3rd period. If he begs for forgiveness, I won't listen. I'm going to ditch him nicely, though. -L
L- I don't think Z cares that you dumped him. -P
P- Oh yeah? -L
FIN.
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