Early Lore
Mayhaps this tragic tale had no beginning.
Shane and Susan
If I can recall correctly, (I suppose I might,) there was a case even earlier than the tale before you. But that is another story altogether. This tale began some May of 1977. 1977! Yeah, it was first grade. Sometimes these vivid flashbacks scare even me! I can’t remember exactly who my teacher was, or how many students were in the class or even most of their names, but my main man was this kid named Shame. Shame on Shame! Heh, I guess that’s why I liked him so much. Life at school was for the most part “life at school”. What you did at recess was the character builder of the day. You had a few who made their way to the monkey bars, others chose to play in the sand and clay closer to the entrance, much to the chagrin of the teachers. Earlier in the year, it was the two man crew who met at the dead tree in the middle of the yard. Ed. Notes: Sometime in the 80’s John Millage Elementary had that tree removed. So yet another icon in my life is removed. Where is that one without a past? The bell would ring (yeah we had bells, not some buzzer, grumble mutter,..) and we’d race to the tree and watch everyone else move frantically either trying to get away from the crowd or to form another crowd. This is when the girl chasing began. Everybody who was anybody partook of the sport. Me? I became a freelancer, I’d chase a girl, explore the chain link fence, chase a girl, wonder if this was the life, chase a girl and meet Shame at the tree, go in for lunch.
Well, one of these carefree days I met Susan. I chase her all of recess. (Look, I was devout even at that age) I’d suppose she was in my class, perhaps she was, most likely not. Anyhoo, I used to see her walk home in the opposite direction from the way I went. To cut to the chase, I swore she was my girlfriend. No one had told me the rules at this point. So does this make the fault my own? Many would say yes, but how so? It was naught too many years ago when St Nick became less than a deity in your child’s eye. So my argument is still whose fault was it? When should the rules be taught to a child about romance?
Months passed, the end of my first year of school year had drawn nigh. Susan’s secret admirer was anxious to tell her to have a nice summer. Destiny had different plans. On the last day of school, at the very last bell, toddlers explode onto the schoolyard. Amid the ruckus, a new to the fray, innocent soul takes a fleeting look towards a familiar face, only to feel his heart fracture. Susan and Shame was walking home together! When did…? How did…? Why did…?
Only God knows how long my shadow lengthened while I stood there, trying to make sense of what I just seen. I yelled out “Have a nice summer Susan!” but she never acknowledged it…
This was only the beginning of the woes that was to come towards me. The next year we moved. I never saw Susan ever again. She became the poster child of love lost. And as the years went on, I never forgot her. In the 7th grade, I wrote the children’s story “The Cucumber or the pickle’s double” In which she was the love interest. Amazing, of how young you begin to experience grown up emotions. I guess this story doesn’t have a beginning. -SK-
