David

I was in the snack bar listening to a group of sixth graders who lived in another part of town and sat discussing significant changes in their upcoming school year. According to the girl named Janet, neither Pam Dobbins nor J.J.

I was in the snack bar listening to a group of sixth graders who lived in another part of town and sat discussing significant changes in their upcoming school year. According to the girl named Janet, neither Pam Dobbins nor J.J.

Jackson had been invited to the Fourth of July party hosted by the Pyle twins, who later told Kimberly Matthews that both Pam and Mike were out of the picture as far as the seventh grade was concerned. Totally, completely out, Janet said. Hoof. I didn't know any Pam Dobbins or JJ Jackson, but the reverential tone of Janet's voice sent me into a state of mild shock.

Jackson had been invited to the Fourth of July party hosted by the Pyle twins, who later told Kimberly Matthews that both Pam and Mike were out of the picture as far as the seventh grade was concerned. Totally, completely out, Janet said. Hoof. I didn't know any Pam Dobbins or JJ Jackson, but the reverential tone of Janet's voice sent me into a state of mild shock.

Call me naive, but it had simply never occurred to me that other schools might have their own celebrity circles. At the age of 12, I thought the group at E.C. Brooks was, if not nationally known, then at least its own private phenomenon. Why else would our lives revolve around them? I myself was not a member of my school's popular crowd.

Call me naive, but it had simply never occurred to me that other schools might have their own celebrity circles. At the age of 12, I thought the group at E.C. Brooks was, if not nationally known, then at least its own private phenomenon. Why else would our lives revolve around them? I myself was not a member of my school's popular crowd.

but recall thinking that whoever they were, Janet's popular people couldn't begin to compete with ours. Then I worried that our popular crowd couldn't compare to those in Charlotte or Greensboro, not to mention the thousands of schools located in other states. What if I'd wasted my entire life comparing myself to people who didn't really matter?

but recall thinking that whoever they were, Janet's popular people couldn't begin to compete with ours. Then I worried that our popular crowd couldn't compare to those in Charlotte or Greensboro, not to mention the thousands of schools located in other states. What if I'd wasted my entire life comparing myself to people who didn't really matter?

Try as I might, I still can't wrap my mind around it. They banded together in the third grade. Ann Carlsworth, Christy K. Moore, Deb Bevins, Mike Hollowell, Doug Middleton, Thad Pope. This was the core base of the popular crowd, and for the next six years, my classmates and I studied their lives the way we were supposed to study math and English.

Try as I might, I still can't wrap my mind around it. They banded together in the third grade. Ann Carlsworth, Christy K. Moore, Deb Bevins, Mike Hollowell, Doug Middleton, Thad Pope. This was the core base of the popular crowd, and for the next six years, my classmates and I studied their lives the way we were supposed to study math and English.

So complete was their power that I actually felt honored when one of them hit me in the mouth with a rock. He'd gotten me after school, and upon returning home, I ran into my sister's bedroom with hugging my bloody Kleenex and crying, it was sad. Lisa was a year older, but still she understood the significance. Did he say anything, she asked. Did you save the rock?

So complete was their power that I actually felt honored when one of them hit me in the mouth with a rock. He'd gotten me after school, and upon returning home, I ran into my sister's bedroom with hugging my bloody Kleenex and crying, it was sad. Lisa was a year older, but still she understood the significance. Did he say anything, she asked. Did you save the rock?

My father demanded that I retaliate, saying I ought to knock the guy on his ass. Oh, dad. Oh, baloney. Clock him on the snot locker and he'll go down like a ton of bricks. He was mistaking Thad for a bully, which was a different crowd altogether. Besides, who did my father think I was?

My father demanded that I retaliate, saying I ought to knock the guy on his ass. Oh, dad. Oh, baloney. Clock him on the snot locker and he'll go down like a ton of bricks. He was mistaking Thad for a bully, which was a different crowd altogether. Besides, who did my father think I was?

Boys who spent their weekends making banana nut muffins did not, as a rule, excel in the art of hand-to-hand combat. I mean, come on, Dad, Lisa said. Wake up. The following afternoon, I was taken to Dr. Pavlich for x-rays. The rock had damaged a tooth, and there was some question over who would pay for the subsequent root canal.

Boys who spent their weekends making banana nut muffins did not, as a rule, excel in the art of hand-to-hand combat. I mean, come on, Dad, Lisa said. Wake up. The following afternoon, I was taken to Dr. Pavlich for x-rays. The rock had damaged a tooth, and there was some question over who would pay for the subsequent root canal.

I figured that since they'd conceived me, given birth, and raised me as a permanent guest in their home, my parents should foot the bill. But my father thought differently. He had decided the popes should pay, and I screamed as he picked up the phone book. But you can't just call Thad's house. Why the hell not, he said. Don't they have a telephone?

I figured that since they'd conceived me, given birth, and raised me as a permanent guest in their home, my parents should foot the bill. But my father thought differently. He had decided the popes should pay, and I screamed as he picked up the phone book. But you can't just call Thad's house. Why the hell not, he said. Don't they have a telephone?

Well, of course the Pope's had a telephone, probably three or four with a separate line for the children. I imagined Thad's as a state-of-the-art desk model with blinking red lights alerting him that Doug or Christy was waiting on line one. Equipment was not the issue. My father's voice simply did not belong on the Pope's telephone. It wouldn't fit with their things.

Well, of course the Pope's had a telephone, probably three or four with a separate line for the children. I imagined Thad's as a state-of-the-art desk model with blinking red lights alerting him that Doug or Christy was waiting on line one. Equipment was not the issue. My father's voice simply did not belong on the Pope's telephone. It wouldn't fit with their things.