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The Colorful History of an Unconventional Woman
“Were you ever a disappointment to your parents?”
“Hmmm … there were probably times when I frayed the rope that tied us together. I wasn’t the easiest child. I remember Mom was disappointed with me when I was in High School. I was suspended for a week for smoking in the girl’s bathroom. As I recall, I did a lot of housecleaning and dusted what seemed like a million leaves on her treasured African Violet plants. It didn’t stop me from smoking in the bathroom though. I did that until I graduated. … How about you?”
“Oh no, I was always the quiet rebel, good on the outside, a bit less so on the inside.”
“As I recall, Mom redeemed herself when I was suspended for wearing slacks that one day when we had all decided we were tired of that stupid rule. You remember? Skirts could be so high your crotch would be showing while you were seated at your desk, but you couldn’t wear nice slacks, let alone jeans! So, a bunch of us wore nice slacks to school and every one of us were sent home to change into ‘more appropriate’ attire.”
“Yes, I didn’t join in the rebellion, but I remember that day. A lot of girls were sent home early.”
“Yeah. Mom was so furious at the school, she drilled the Principal a new one,” I said, laughing. “But the time she really hit the roof was when they gave me a D for orchestra class and suspended me for cutting class.”
“Oh, I don’t remember that one. Or I do … but I don’t.”
“Well, I was skipping orchestra and attending choir instead because the orchestra conductor/teacher only liked band and felt the string instruments were a waste of his time. He wanted to be out on the football field practicing marching band maneuvers and spent the minimum amount of time with those of us who loved Beethoven and Mozart.”
“You got a D? You???”
“Oh yeah. And then, to make things even worse, the damned idiot teacher suspended me for a week for cutting class! Well, Mom hit the warpath – my suburban Mom in full-out ‘I will change this’ mode. She stormed into the Principal’s office with my straight A report cards for music since I had been in 4th grade and picked up a cello for the first time. She had my school records. She had my letters congratulating me for making “Best in City Orchestra – First Chair” and “Best in State Orchestra – First Chair”. She had letters from my private teachers, and from the conductor of the semi-professional orchestra I was playing for at that time; all saying the same thing. I was talented, I knew how to play my instrument, and I did not then, nor did I EVER, deserve a grade lower than an “A” for my orchestral grades.”
“Then Mom hit full stride and accused the Principal of making things too easy on the teacher. She said that the teacher had to be concerned with more than just band and wind instruments, marching and drums.”
“She told me later that she said, ‘An orchestra, relies on far more than their wind and percussive instruments. It needs all types of instruments to create the sounds that carry down through the centuries and get played and replayed 1000’s of times. If your musical instructor can’t acknowledge that and give at least minimal help to those students who aren’t in band, then this school is letting every one of those students down.’”
“The Principal was a bit gobsmacked by this time and didn’t have any good arguments to put up against her. He called the music teacher into the room to join them. I don’t know exactly what was said, but my suspension was recanted immediately; and my grade, which had been a D, was changed to an A on the condition that I wouldn’t sign up for the class anymore which was absolutely fine with me. I moved over to sing with the choir where I wasn’t the best, and I wasn’t the worst but I had a great teacher who made all of us, even the tone deaf, feel wanted and needed.”
“Hmmm, I can see your Mom doing that, no question. Any other suspensions?”
“I skirted suspensions a few more times – walking out with over half of the students to join in the long walk to the Convention Center for the first Earth Day celebration. Also, there was the time when we took the gun away from Harvey one day in the AV department. I’m sure we would have all been suspended for that one. We surrounded him and told him to give it over, and we put it into a cupboard for the day and told him he could have it back at the end of the day. I guess these days we’d pay more attention to someone with a gun in school, but at that time we just wanted to protect our friend from getting kicked out of school. Then, of course, there were the riots. I didn’t participate in them, just got into my car, and left as quickly as possible. But the riots really made a lasting mark on our school and education in the nation in general.”
“Oh, and I did contribute to getting one of my favorite teachers fired, but she was on the edge anyway because she was pregnant. At that time, a pregnant teacher was only allowed to teach up to their sixth month. She wasn’t feeling well, so she passed the control of the AV department over to me for a week. I took full advantage of it, and really enjoyed it. I did my assignments well, but… I also sat in the Teachers Lounge smoking a cigarette during my lunch break, which led to complaints, which led to one more excuse to fire her.”
“I remember those days; you were such a rebel! It’s hard to believe it was 50 years ago.”
“Oh, come on now. You know I haven’t changed at all,” I said laughing along with her. “I’m still walking the path less taken. I’m a Jewish pagan married to a fallen-away Catholic. I’m childless by choice, having never wanted children. I’m artistic, outspoken and a free thinker. I’m unapologetic in most instances. I am welcoming to others because I firmly believe in personal expression. And I have friends like you – friends for decades, friends who are like sisters, and friends I can count on when everything else falls apart. I’m lucky that way, I land on my feet. Now, let’s go get another drink and you can catch me up on what you’ve been doing over the past year.”
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Sounds like a wonderful friend to have. I know it's fun to have people you have known for decades. Not everything has to be explained as they know your history. Did you attend a private school, to have those "skirt" rules? :)
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I went to one of the largest public schools in Denver, so no - definitely not a private school. They didn't allow pants until the year after I graduated, and didn't allow jeans for several years after that. Girls only, of course. The guys could wear jeans. Double-standard all the way.
- Erulisse (one L)
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There were kids who smoked on campus when I was in high school though. Occasionally they got in trouble for it, but it didn't seem to be too often.
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- Erulisse (one L)
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Could be!
A disappointment to my parents?
Certainly!
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- Erulisse (one L)
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It's great to have friends who knew you when and who can share those memories with you.
Excellent story, thanks so much!
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I wore the skirts, and even with tights under them, it was a long and cold walk to school. Once we moved and I was driving, things were quite a lot easier.
Sharon is my oldest and dearest friend - we met in High School, so 1970-71, and have been firm friends ever since. She comes out here once a year and we spend three crazy days at the State Fair and one at the Renaissance Festival. Then she goes back to Denver to recuperate, and I head back to the shop.
- Erulisse (one L)
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She also compared me to the local developmentally disabled kid because I got a C.
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Comparing you to the locally developmentally disabled kid was unfair to both you and that child. Shame on your mother for that one. It was poorly done.
- Erulisse (one L)
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This was a fun story and it was cool to find out a little more about you! :)
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Thanks so much. I hope I earn a vote from you when votes open on Wednesday.
- Erulisse (one L)
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I fully admit I was a total wild child when I was in High School. LOL
- Erulisse (one L)
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- Erulisse (one L)
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I hope my trip down memory lane and my unconventional life in High School will merit your vote this time, and thanks for reading and commenting.
- Erulisse (one L)
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My Mom wouldn't put up with incompetence. To have a D grade in a subject where I had never gotten anything but A's required some investigation and some intervention. It had to be done on the parental level - as a student, I had no power to affect any change.
- Erulisse (one L)
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Your mom sounds a little like my dad. He was very smart and did not suffer foolishness from others.
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- Erulisse (one L)
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- Erulisse (one L)