Wednesday, March 29, 2006

First day at Lawton Elementary School.

This is....a memory drawing, i guess.... It was my first day of school at my new school Lawton. I was 7 and we'd just moved to that neighborhood.

During recess, since I had no one to play with...I climbed to the top of this tall thingy made of old tires.

And I was stuck.

Terrified, I sat clinging, watching everyone play below. I couldn't figure out how you were supposed to get down.

Soon, the teachers blew their whistles to signal the end of recess. I felt ready to cry....I couldn't get down, and if I couldn't get down I'd get in trouble for not coming back to class....

I was too shy and ashamed to ask for help.

Finally, I swallowed my fear and cautiously slipped down the first tire. My stomach flipped with the slight drop....and then another tire...and finally the last one. I don't remember if I got back to the classroom late or not....but it was a while before I was comfortable climbing that thing again.

4 comments:

Christi said...

awhhhhhhhh

Anonymous said...

Oh, Cynthea, I can so see Little Cynthea there. You know what some of my first memories of you are? Reading those graphic novels at camp. You were so shy and very involved in your books. I thought they were very interesting and I also thought to myself, "I bet this girl has a lot to her - and it's going to take a while for me to get to know her." Sappy, but very, very clear memories.

Nelson Diaz said...

This is such a cute drawing. I love it because the little girl is a perfect little self-portrait that reminds me of every story you've ever told me about your younger self.

Anonymous said...

That sketch is great. For one brief, cognitive dissonant moment, I thought it was a drawing from your childhood, and I was like, "damn!"

But then I figured it out. Still awesome, though.

-P