Old School Memories and Emotions posted 8/2/2007 1:07:05 PM | 7 kudos what's this?     report abuse

Wolf36

It was 3 days ago I had one of the most emotionally moving experiences in my life. It all started as I took my daily 4 mile walk, that took me past my old grade school. I had passed this building a thousand times but on this day, it would serve as a gateway to my past.

I've always been blessed or cursed, whichever you prefer, with an impeccable memory. I remember things that happenned to me when I was 3-4 years old and I often astonish my parents, by telling them events that happened even earlier in my childhood.

Anyway, as I walked past my former elementary school k-5, one of my old friends was standing outside doing some painting. He said hello and we small talked for a while. Finally, he asked if I had been in the old school lately and I replied, "no, not since the last day of class there some 30 years ago." He just smiled and said, "Wolfie, go on in, it will be worth your time"? I quickly accepted and I was on my way through the front door. The school isn't a school now, it has been bought privately and I have no clue what they are doing with it but basically the halls and rooms are still in tact.

I began by noticing the Principal's office and a small dent in the wall right outside Mr. J,'s office. He had come out once while we were all goofing off in line and smacked his paddle against the wall and left the dent. It was still there. I looked down the main 1st floor hall and started walking along slowly. I passed the kindergarten room and walked inside. Immediately, I noticed the carpet still met the tile on the floor like I remembered. All of a sudden I remember the fight that Brad, Marty and I had and how Marty had ratted me and Brad out. We both got our asses smacked and he got away scott-free:)

I came out of the Kindergarten room and proceeded down the hall and this is where things became a little strange. I actually thought I could hear kids in the hall. Was this just my over active imagination? I'm not suffering from Psychosis so it had to be real. I noticed the water fountain on my left, where I had kissed my first girlfriend Carol. You remember those days, we would go with a girl for really long periods of time, sometimes a full day:) As I walked along the different classrooms, I could still see my old teachers standing in the rooms teaching. Mrs. F. in 1st grade, Mrs. B. in 2nd grade and Mrs. M. in 3rd grade. Then I reached the end of the hall and stood at the big double doors. It's strange but as I looked out on the old playground, I somehow got a happiness rush, like it was time to go play.

As I turned around and started walking back, I stopped at the Boy's restroom and walked in. Gee, did we really use these little urnials? Then I remembered, this is where we would go before PE to put our tennis shoes on.

I finished in the main hall and headed upstairs. I stopped at the top of the first flight and remembered Mrs. D. really chewing me out for running up the stairs once. I still remember how the veins popped out on her forehead. Then I walked by the 4th grade classroom where the same teacher Mrs. D. taught. I remembered how she got me out of trouble for fighting once and saved me from the Principal's office. Standing at the top of the stairs and looking down, I remembered that was where the fallout shelter was.

I walked up the next flight of stairs to where my favorite teacher was assigned. It was Mr. K. who taught 5th grade. I was quite the romantic back then and I remembered how he used to tease me about chasing all the girls. Standing in this classroom I recalled Valentines days, when I gave Bobbie a small box of chocolates. The whole class laughed at me and Mr. K. pushed Bobbie and I into a small closet and shut the door. I remembered struggling to get out but thinking, "boy is this great." He let us out pretty fast, too fast, and of course he was laughing.

As I left this classroom, I remembered a girl I had a crush on all through school. Her name was Tammy. It seemed like yestereday, when class would let out and I would run over to her 5th grade classroom and wait for her to come outside. I would do anything to get her attention. Then some tears came to my eyes, because this old friend passed away from cancer earlier this year. Who knew when we were kids, she would die so quickly.

Suddenly I realized the fire escape was still attached to the building. There it was and I couldn't resist going out on it. You see this was an automatic paddling in those days and they paddled hard in those days:)

It's hard to describe the incredbile range of emotions I felt during this 45 minute tour. I can say that I've never really felt that way before. It was like happiness and sadness both had their way with me. I was happy to be able to revive all the old memories and sad to know those days were gone. Do you know what I mean?

As I exited the building my friend noticed the redness and tears in my eyes. He said, "I told you it would be worth your time didn't I"?
Wolf

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