| The Kid Years 1981-84 |
| Well, my childhood years were so eventful, that frankly I don't know where to begin. I'll start with school, since that was now where I spent the most time. My second grade year transferred me from Chicago Ave. School to Lindbergh Elementary where I was put in an LBD (Learning Behaviorial Disabilities) program. Go ahead and laugh if you want, because in the end, I was the one who got the last laugh, and I laughed HARD! I spent my second and third grade years in the LBD program, and I can sum it up by saying I got a slice of hell followed by a slice of heaven. My second grade teacher was an elderly lady named Ms. [Eleanor] Gaskill, whom my older brother and I nicknamed Ms. Gasbutt in private. All I remember from my second grade year was that we ate lunch in the classroom instead of the cafeteria, rode the short bus (the only saving grace was that the driver was a young black guy who played some really cool 80s R&B hits on the radio), sat around daydreaming all day because the assignments were boring as Hades, and spent so much time either in the hall on in those isolation boxes (which to a 7-year-old was equivalent to solitary confinement in Hell), that I should've had my own private classroom. All I know was that Ms Gaskill was MEAN. According to my mother, after my first day there, I said to her that I thought she was dumb and the other classmates (there were only 3-4 others, all boys) were too. But we all formed a bond as time passed. I don't know how I did it, but I passed to the third grade. My teacher there was a fine black woman named Ms. [Marsha] Williams. One of my fondest memories was that we were getting our lunches served, and since someone from the other LBD class took my seat, she asked me to sit next to her at her desk, and I asked why. She replied, "Because you're my boyfriend". I was fascinated. I was getting a slice of heaven already. Anyhow, I got more work done, and I would go to a "regular" classroom for reading and math lessons by a teacher named Ms. [Mary] Estepp. I was invited to stay in her class for story reading (where I got my first taste of Judy Blume books), filmstrips, and field trips. I even got a desk with my nametag on it, even though I was there only part of the day. It was at this time that I realized that I was being labeled as a "retarded kid". So I decided to show them who was retarded. I began by learning the 50 states and capitals, then the Canadian provinces and capitals, then all the worlds countries and capitals. I even hand drew in detail maps of the US, Canada, Africa, Europe, Asia, and eventually the entire world. Then I began to learn all the US presidents and vice presidents. Then I pulled out a first aid emergency handbook and learned treatment and procedures for virtually every ailment, including shock and CPR. My other drawing hobby was that I would draw in detail all the houses on my block, front and back. Then I would draw detailed houses for neighboring streets. Pretty soon I was drawing entire neighborhoods within a 1/2 square mile area. Well, as far as my viewing entertainment, while I still watched game shows, it wasn't with the same fervency as it was with the prior years. I was watching The Movie Channel quite frequently--and seeing my fill of movies an 8-year-old had no business watching, but anyway. Like any normal kid, I played with my toys and with my big imagination pretended I was making movies with my toys (as far as plot and action goes). During the summers me and my siblings would attend McKinley Park's summer program and play cards and four-square and eat free lunches all day every day. Well, I have rambled for quite a bit, so I guess I will have to make a part two of this. TO BE CONTINUED....... Back to Page 2 Back to the main page |