So tonight, I was at Mardi Gras.
Sort of. My sister’s school had a “Mardi Gras” night. Less tits, but lots of beads, masks, costumes, etc. And more games and carnival style things, like a bouncy house and slushies.
The fun part, for me, is that Carol Ann’s elementary (grades K-7) school used to be a junior high school. Specifically, my junior high school. I went there in the ’92/’93 school year for grade 8, the last year it ran — it converted to an elementary school afterwards.
I got completely lost. Bizarre. I hadn’t realized how SMALL this school was — no wonder they had to replace it. The high school that replaced it had a lot more students (being an 8-12, vs. an 8-10 like the junior high was) but was easily 4x the size, if not more.
Still, very bizarre. I peeked in a few windows, and it’s odd seeing what used to be a woodworking shop with cubbies and kiddie desks…
Half the students were bigger than me. Huh. I was always one of the smaller kids, but even I’ve grown a few inches since I was in grade 7. I swear kids are bigger now than they were when I was in school. For one, I remember being in grade 12 and thinking all the grade 8s were so tiny and adorable, and how could they possibly all be bigger than me now? I swear they’re all full of growth hormones or something.
At one point, Carol Ann & I are standing in a line. The little girl in front of us (probably 9ish or so) is chatting with us animatedly, letting us know what the delay was in the line (making ice for slushies) and she all of a sudden turns to me and asks, “Do you go here?”
Just as a reminder — this is a K-7 school. As in, the oldest kids there are 12. There might be a few who JUST turned 13. And for those of you playing at home… I’m 28.
I … didn’t know how to respond. Do I GO here? What? No, no I don’t go there. I haven’t been in elementary school in over fifteen years. I definitely don’t go there. I sort of stuttered a bit, not even sure if she had actually asked that or not, but Carol Ann to the rescue: “No, she’s been out of school for ages!” Thanks, Carol Ann. I feel good and old now.
Just to make you feel even better… my 12 year old who you probably saw, if not actually met, in the Telus days when he was 5 or 6, may be bigger than you now. ;-P
And, the fact that a 9 year old thought you might go there means there is a chance, should you be wanted by the mob or something, that you could “hide” out in your old school (would bring new meaning to your having moved back in with your family). Just think of it as a possible prequel to 1987′s John Cryer movie, “Hiding Out.” http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0093186/
it was mardi gras at celebrities last night too, but the half naked boys had all the beads :/