Chapter 10

Middle School: Part 2

So this is it. My eighth grade year. This was possibly the best single year of my life to that point. A few things had to happen before this could occur though. You may remember perhaps the awful seventh grade (well, not awful, but you know) year. During the summer before eighth grade is when my change of heart occurred. That was when my life turned around and sunny days were ahead. And so began my eighth grade year.

I wasn’t sure how I was going to do this year, because of last year. When I first saw my class list, I asked to be switched out of it, because there were many conflicts with the other kids. They didn’t let me do it, and as it turned out, most of the people who were the problem had left. This was probably the first big plus of this year.

Another big thing was the parties. I was invited to two parties in fairly quick succession in the beginning of the year. The first was Chad Wieland’s birthday party. I’m not sure what sparked the invitation, however it could have possibly been donut-induced. Anyway, so I go to his party, and for awhile we’re all playing sand volleyball, surrounded by some really sharp nettles. Then we went inside, to his basement, where you could do a number of things. These included playing video games or air hockey, dancing, watching a movie (I think, though the memories are starting to cloud a bit), or being a DJ, which is what I did. I sat beside the stereo and popped in the good dance songs that we had available, and even danced a little. I had a lot of fun here, and it was good for me to get in with this group, because it’s one that had been elusive to me for awhile.

I guess that once you get invited to one party, it’s customary for people to invite you to theirs as well, because Dave Scheetz had a party a couple of weeks after Chad’s (Dave was there too), and he invited me to his party as well. I guess their philosophy was, well, I guess he’s in, so I better invite him. Dave’s party was probably more fun, and more painful. We started out at Lion’s Park in Oxford, and were eating and dancing under the pavilion, while some played football, and others basketball, when it started to pour down rain- I mean, we’re talking cats and dogs and the whole bit. So we went back to Dave’s house, and occupied his garage, and later his driveway (when it was done raining). All we did after we arrived there was dance. This is where I get heartbroken again. You may remember that I told you that after Megan, I began to have this crush on Amanda, well, this is where I learned that Tyler, once again, had stolen the girl of my dreams right out from under me. I could tell by the way they were dancing, like immediately. So what’s a fellow to do? I sat right down on the steps and cried- right there. And as in keeping with tradition, all of the girls, like Darcy, Laura, Bethany, Sarah, etc, came over to me to find out what was wrong. I wouldn’t tell them, I couldn’t, it was too embarrassing. So I got up, walked out of the garage, and down the street. Laura followed. It was in this relative seclusion, with a person I had grown to trust as a good friend, that I told what was on my mind. She said she understood, and asked if I wanted to talk to Tyler about it. I was not interested in that option, however. So that’s where it stayed, between me and Laura, and later Tyler. You see, I told him what he’d gone and done, and he was like, "twice huh? I must be pretty good then." Then he started his little laugh, and I couldn’t help but go along.

Probably the next most important thing was Washington D.C., or perhaps the trip that we took there. Ms. Brack offered to take our class to the capitol, and a lot of people accepted. We even had to have a drawing to determine a going list and a waiting list, because there were a lot of people on the waiting list. I, however got right onto the going list. On the bus, I rode with Tyler, and I shared a room with Dave, Michael Pitlick, and somebody else. The trip was a lot of fun, and I could spend a lot of time on it, but suffice it to say that I had a lot of fun, and it was another good social experience for me, it helped me to become more acquainted with members of my class.

The dances were much better this year. None of the sit out, cry a lot stuff of the seventh grade year, I was past that. Now I went and enjoyed myself, and danced every one I could, including the fast songs, which had been previously avoided. It was at one of these where I started dating Jessica, and again, that was a huge plus on that year (except for the end, of course).

Eighth grade graduation proved to be something I wanted to participate in. I wanted to speak at it. So I had to write the best speech for Ms. Brack, which I felt I actually did, however I was gypped because she used grades from previous speeches as well, in figuring the speakers out. So who were the obvious choices? Bethany and Greta. My speech was a day late for one, and it was also over time, so the score in the gradebook? Twelve of thirty (half off for lateness, and another three for time). Totally unacceptable for graduation. However, even Ms. Brack said it was a "30" speech. I spent a long time on it, and built up this great analogy of a mountain and education, where we are climbing a mountain, and we have reached a plateau, and we look back (at what we’ve done), and also up, at what is to come. It was totally awesome. But I graduated anyway, and besides, how can anyone harbor ill will for either Bethany or Greta for any length of time?

I suppose it is worthy to note that I also ran for student council president, against Shannon Bartholomew and Chris Okerberg. Chris won, however, through the 45 dozen donuts I brought to school, I was elected to be a representative, and served also as the secretary. I was very happy about this as well, as I had lost the previous year (go figure).

The last great event of that year was at St. Mary’s Hall in Oxford, after graduation, where we had our dance/party, but that too, has already been discussed.

This was the best of the best. I felt that there were more ups than downs this year, and had a lot of fun just being me. And that’s what it’s all about.