As I was in the shower a few minutes ago, I was thinking about how far along today I got in my S&D project part and my Oceanography paper. For some reason, I thought back to an event that happened to me in 5th grade.
I have a hard time understanding why certain people hate me and are mean for me for no good reason. Sometimes, I think it's God's payback for how mean I was to this one girl in 1st grade when paired with my best friend at the time, Dana. Oh, when I was around her, I was an evil child. However, away from Dana, I was usually a sweet child. I haven't seen Dana since I was about 9-years-old. The only other time I had a mean, evil streak in me was when I was 15 and at camp, and again, some one coaxed it out of me. I feel guilty about these two times, but I can't correct the past. All I can do is try to be nice to other people now and in the future.
Well, in 5th grade, there was this girl in my class named Christina. For some reason, she hated me. That bitch. (Hey, looking back now, she really was one at age 11!) I don't know why she hated me. I never did anything to her. I was one of the new kids in the Ft. Bragg school system. Most of the kids in 5th grade knew someone from their elementary school days. (We were in middle school in 5th grade). I had just moved from Augusta. The only kids I knew were the NKOTB-loving girls on my street. I was shy at the age, so it wasn't like I went out of my way to harm her.
One project we had to do in social studies was a report on a Central American county. Along with the report, we had to turn in a poster. I was absent when Mrs. Hyatt assigned the project. So, I had no clue what was required for the poster. I don't remember who told me about the poster, but they said it had to have a map of my country (Guatemala) and a few other things about the country, including flag, imports, exports, crops, and other CIA Factbook information. So, when it was time to do the poster, I did it. I had a map and information on the poster. It didn't look bad by an 11-year-old. I did it in color marker, too
At the time of the report, I sat in the same cluster as that Christina. On the day we turned in our posters, Christina slammed me. She told me I did my poster wrong and that Mrs. Hyatt was going to take points off it. That scared me, because as far as I knew, I did my project correctly. Even back then I was anal about my grades. Christina thought her poster was just the best in the class. It was a simple outline of Belize in black marker on a white poster board, with a few cities marked on the map. She was just so smug about that poster. I can still see the smugness oozing out of her face.
The joke ended up being on her. When we got the posters back, our grades were on the back. She got a B+ on her poster. Mrs. Hyatt thought it was too bland; she felt it could have had some color on it. 
I got an A+ on my poster. Mrs. Hyatt complemented my effort on the poster and how I had more than she asked on it. When Christina found out I got an A on my poster, she was pissed. It was an insult that I did better than her on it.
Thankfully, I wasn't in 6th grade with this girl. 9 months with her in my class part time was hell. I don't believe she was in my math or language arts classes, just my homeroom classes. Some days, I think I must be a magnet for bitchy girls to taunt. However, the older I've gotten, the more I come to pity those that were bitches to me.
As for the assignments that bought up these memories, they aren't complete, but they have been worked on. The S&D stuff is due Friday. The Oceanography paper isn't due until the 13th. Tomorrow's going be a busy day for me to do taxes and other errands with my dad when I'm not in class tomorrow.
[♪ Listening to: "My Heart Can't Tell You No" - Rod Stewart]
Posted by Shawn at April 2, 2006 8:27 PM in Memories, Schooling.
