So it seems that I have been thinking about writing for a long time, and the encouragement of my oldest Daughter has brought me to this space. I want to leave some of my life stories for my family and friends so they can better understand me. The decisions I continue to make, my crazy outlook, why I laugh when most would cry.
I think I’ll start with the most shameful part of my story, well at least it was till I recognized and owned it.
I am a person who has a few very good, long time trusted friends.
This honor of friendship is usually easy ,after all during a persons school years, sports activities and parties, neighbors etc, you make many friends. For me and my siblings, it was not so easy. My parents were 18 years older than I. For many reasons which I’ll go into later, we moved once, twice sometimes three times a year, So me, the eldest child of Thomas O’Connor and Wanda Woods O’Connor attended more than 16 schools by eighth grade. No I was not an Army brat, nor were we traveling around the US but rather neighborhoods in Illinois and Indiana.
At one point I could name in order each school, and probably with some help could list them on my blog. Who knows someone may read it and say ” Hey I remember that girl”.
I was the perpetual “New Girl”. I did not have girlfriends, shopping dates, sleep overs or invitations to attend birthday parties. I was the one sitting alone, working alone, quiet and very private.
I remember how mortified I was when in Eighth grade, a lady from Public Aide came into my classroom with a box of clothes for me and my siblings. Talk about wanting to sink into the floor! I remember that parents were not eager for their children to play with me or invite me, understandable because they did not know me or my parents. In fact in 8th grade, the only year I went an entire year to the same school (Nathan Hale on Melvina) I lived on 64th and Kedzie. I walked 4 miles to school. Sometimes, when it was very cold, I took the bus . the cost at that time was 12cents. That same 12 cents was sometimes used to buy a piece of italian bread soaked in gravy. The place on the corner near my grammar school of 63 Melvina was a family owned fast food restaurant. They gave me the bread for 5 cents. I was happy to have it. I still like meatless soaked Italian bread.
I must tell you that during this whole time I was happy, because I was in the same school, this was brand new to me. Even though I did not live in the neighborhood I could pretend that I was just like everyone else.
So I am not complaining as they say “you don’t know what you don’t know” but in fact this situation led to one of my best skills. I learned and still have an ability to sum up the personality and trustworthiness of a person pretty accurately and fairly quickly. I had to learn this skill to survive my earliest school years.Thats another story .
Truth or Dare
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