First Days of School

This week marked the first day of school for my grandson, Cooper. His older sister, Summer, had her first day last week. She will accept pre-school, but he loved pre-school. Just like my own two children, the more out-going one wasn't as gung-ho for attending at first. The younger, more clingy child, barely said good-bye to me when I was leaving. So was it for my daugther-in-law. You hate to see them cry for you, but I think it might hurt more when they just dismiss you for the finger painting station and "Jason," that kid with the runny nose. Hummm, he better not come home with a runny nose...Ha...so many years ago and I can STILL REMEMBER.

I can even remember my own "firsts." Since I attended five, yes, count 'em, five, elementary schools, I had many firsts. Some were easier than others, but I remember my very first day of kindergarten. I went to Frank G. Lindsey School in Montrose, NY. It was a new school, just recently opened and was solid brick. The kindergarten classes each had their own toilet. Miss Kennedy was my teacher and she was very pretty, young and nice. She had that cinched-in waist accented by her crinolined skirts, so very chic in the 1960's. I liked everything about school, especially nap time. Apparently, after lunch was nap time and we all had these little low cots that were kept stacked in a closet that looked like it was made especially for the cots. It resembled a sliding door closet sans the sliding doors. The "Cot Leader," a student who was assigned daily, was in charge of watching everyone get their cot and they received the last cot, which was kept in the "closet." It was like having a private room. Due to the fact that I didn't want to awaken from my nap, I never had the desirable job of "Cot Leader." I remember begging Miss Kennedy, but she said that I couldn't do the task since the cots had to be put away before the buses came, and she was always still trying to wake me from my nap as my fellow students were lining up for the buses! But I showed them all...yeah, I showed all those "Cot Leaders." At the end of the school year, I received a blue ribbon with a gold star entitled, "Best Rester." I still have it in a scrap book.

The incident that prompted me to want to "quit" school after the first day was my getting on (being put on) the wrong bus at the end of said first day. The bus drove the whole route and I was still sitting on the bus when it was heading back to the garage. I don't remember much, except the bus pulling back into the school parking lot and me thinking I had to spend the night there. As it turned out, the Transportation Director was waiting for me in a blue station wagon. He was a very kind and "fatherly" man. He drove me home and let me off at my stop where my mom was waiting. Although I don't remember, I am sure she must have been a wreck - especially since this was before the days of cell phones and speed dial. However, it was during Camelot...Not much need then to worry about the worst. She gave me a hug, I told her I was quitting and she had to spend the rest of the night explaining how I couldn't quit yet. The irony of the whole event was the fact that the Transportation Director's son attended my school. He was a grade ahead of me and I ended up working as his secretary 40 years later. What a small world. A small world in which some things just never change. Kids go to school, parents worry, "traumatic events" befall kids and they remember them forever. I look at my special award every now and again and regret the fact that I couldn't take my nap in the closet. Especially now, as I lay awake at night, trying like hell to fall asleep!