Memories From Childhood Part 1

This house business we're going through right now is a complete nightmare.  But!  I'm not even going to write about it.  At least until it's over.

Instead, let's visit a happy anecdote from the past and avoid packing, shall we?

Long ago, I attended Shelley Elementary.  It was the first day of first grade, and my teacher's first name was Montana.  I thought that was very strange at the time.  Actually, I still do.  Anyway, sometime during that first day we were assigned homework.  It was the popular "book in a bag" assignment, where all you have to do is take the book home, read all 5 pages of whatever paperback book you got, and get your mom to sign a paper saying that you did it.

I went home from school and clearly did not grasp the homework idea because that book stayed in my backpack and did not come out.

The next day Montana told us to get our books out and show her the paper our moms signed.  If we did it, we got a sticker and, I think, a tootsie roll.  I pulled out my book and slowly comprehended several things: (1) I did not do the assignment, (2) Because of #1, my paper was not signed by my mom, and (3) I would not get a tootsie roll if I didn't do something fast.  I panicked, and did the only thing I could think of.  I pulled out a blue colored pencil and wrote "LYNNE" on my paper in my best first-grade handwriting.   I thought it was pretty convincing.  It's not like I wrote it in crayon--Montana would never know it was me.

Somehow Montana found out that it was a forgery, and I got busted. I had to take home TWO books the next day.

First grade was not as fun as I thought it would be.