My memory has been jogging lately with the help of my 3rd grade crush’s sister who i work with, both of them, we brought back memories that had been buried deep within my mind.
It was 3rd grade, P.S. 130 M, DeSoto School. Ms. Russo’s Class.
That’s me.
So anyway. I had been watching a lot of tv dramas a lot involving love. People falling in love, and over that summer I began to realize i was strangely more attentive and more interested in girls.
Then 3rd grade began, and something strange happened, I began to always want to bother this one girl, Wendy. She sat at another table, but I always liked her long hair. She didn’t really like to talk to me, but i would just push her or say hi a lot to her. She probably hated me, but i never got a hint that i should stop.
We were also part of the same after school program, soo from 9-6, 5 days a week, I saw Wendy. I kept thinking in my head, i do like this girl. What i learned from Zales commercials was buy girls presents, they like that, and she’ll kiss you and then go into a room and shadows happen, and i was kind of afraid of becoming a shadow and never being human again, so I thought, maybe she’d kiss me, or something or like me, maybe?
During a winter break i believe, our day camp class went to the Museum of Natural History. My mom had given me 5 dollars for the trip, and I really didn’t want anything, until i saw a pretty butterfly bracelet! I thought Wendy would like this bracelet, so i spent my 5 dollars and bought that bracelet, and gave it to Wendy. Apparently, I made it super public on the giving, and told Wendy I liked her.
Wendy was super embarrassed, and instead of liking me for the bracelet, she hated me. I didn’t know what happened to the bracelet, but i never saw it again.
Then back in day school, I was not paying attention in school, and at this time in history, James Cameron’s epic love story, Titanic was out in the theaters. I had seen some scenes and heard how it was super romantic, and how you had to do ridiculous things to get girls to like you. So i decided i’d write Wendy a note during class. I wrote the note, something to the extent of, “Wendy I really like you, will you like me to?”
Unfortunately, that note didn’t reach Wendy, my teacher, Ms. Russo, confiscated it, and read it out loud to the class.
Wendy, sorry i caused you embarrassment back in 3rd grade!
Wendy and I, Circa 2007, Courtesy of Louie Chin (West-Ate.com)