1989 when I was in third grade.
It was in the earlier part of the year. The coolest kid in class decided I should be a part of his inner circle. Since he was the athletic type and I wasn't, my main role was more or less a side show for them at recess. I however gained enough exposure.
In the fall of 1988, I started to break out of my shell, the previous three years my ventures with others at recess were there. I would often do what they did, but I would rarely interact directly with anyone. For awhile in second grade I spent recesses and lunch with a third grader named mitch who was an outcast.
By the fall of 1988 I had taken a more active role in recess. My attempts could be best described as crude. One day I went up to a kid and threw him down in the mud becasue I had seen others do it as a way of interacting with each other. This, and many other things I did that year wound me up in the office.
However, the patriarch of my third grade class decided to take favor in me and invited me into his inner circle. By the end of the year, I had three other kids in my class who I called friends.
A few years later I told my mom I was finally glad I had friends. Her response.
Quote:
Scott... you don't have friends, you never had friends. What you have are not quite friends, but acquaintances.
Boy did that steam me! I could always count on my mom to ruin any good thoughts I had going.
_________________
I live my life to prove wrong those who said I couldn't make it in life...