Clod

This experience of being a mom of a pre teen has made me look back at my own adolescence and wonder, "was I this awful?" The answer is probably yes. Confirmed today by the following message received via Facebook:

I wanted to say hi. My name is XXX and we used to be friends in the sixth grade at Butler school. You gave me a autograph book for my birthday or Christmas and it said something about the swimming team because you meant to give it to somebody else. It said PS Susa is the best.We were really only friends for about a year at Butler, I went over to your house a couple of differnt times in the fall, you lived by Washington Park. I also remember you had som sort of a accident in school. Just wanted to say hello.

What a great friend I was! What a clod! I gave her an autograph book that clearly was intended for someone else. This is how I am remembered. Until this day, I had no memory of these events. Except probably the accident. I think she's referring to when I fell though a ground level plate glass window and received some minor (thankfully) cuts. However, this did not take place in school. Why can't I be remembered for some lovely charitable act? Probably because I don't think I had it in me back then.

I guess it's pretty standard for 6th graders to be self centered and for friendships to be short lived. I can only hope that my kids will be remembered a bit more fondly. I can't protect my kids from making mistakes. Certainly, my parents couldn't either.