Why I Hate Thursdays (a re-post)

You all know I have an aversion to Thursday, right?  Well, lately I've been wondering why.  Here's what I've come up with: my dislike for this day of the week stems all the way back to 7th grade.  I was happy in my school from kindergarten through 6th grade.  My dad decided it would be a good idea for me to go ECS starting in 7th grade.  Which, just let me insert here, I am glad he made this choice for me now, looking back.  Knowing what I know now, and all that.  But at the time, I was one VERY unhappy camper. 

I was twelve years old and going into a new school where all the kids had known each other since pre-kindergarten, for heaven's sake!  And here I come, a shy girl (at first) with crazy frizzy/curly hair (yes, I've had issues with it my entire life), who knows NOT ONE SOUL.  See the unhappiness?

So I'm at a new school, dubbed the "new girl", thrown into a whole new world.  One that included CHAPEL.  Now, don't get me wrong; I had been raised in church my whole life.  So it's not that I was against going to a "church" type service, chapel was just something that I didn't enjoy.  Because boring people would come and speak.  And we had to sing.  And I was sitting in the front row.

Well, guess what day of the week chapel was on?  You got it.  Thursday.  It sucked being a 7th grader at ECS.  Well, at least a 7th grader that was new to private school.  I thought everyone was snobby.  And most were.  There was a very small handful of people that were nice to me, one of which was a girl named Halle.  And another gamed Allison.  Allison also happened to be my first friend on the school bus on my first day of kindergarten at Mt. Pisgah.  There were also four more: Amanda, Stacie, Tara and Tabitha.  I'll never forget that day.  Anyway...back to my story, and why I hate Thursdays.

The girls were MEAN, I am not going to lie here.  All the meanness made me self conscience of the way I looked.  Credit that to the crazy frizzy/curly hair, what have you, but you see my dilemma.  So, we had chapel on Thursday, and I was in the front row. 

I eventually got a little used to it.  And started to hate chapel a little less.  A LITTLE, I said.  Doesn't mean I loved it, just that the thought of it didn't make me want to hurl anymore.  Until one day.  The day that changed the rest of my life, I'll forever think.

I remember the day like it was yesterday.  I had on the cutest little purple pleated skirt (hello, it was like 1989 or something) and a matching striped sweater that looked adorable on me.  I loved it, and I loved the way I looked when I wore it.  And it was one of the few skirts I owned...because, yes, I was a total tomboy and HATED to shop and hated to wear anything halfway feminine.  I hated to shop so much, in fact, that my sweet mom started doing the shopping and bringing the stuff she thought I'd like home.  I'd try it on, and if I liked it, I would keep it.  If I didn't like it, she would return it.  I know.  I was a spoiled rotten brat, and she was a very gracious mom.

Anyway.  We're walking into chapel, and I needed to hit up the little girl's room before I made the trek down to my seat.  In front of God and everybody.  Keep this in mind.  I did my business, washed my hands, and walked out.  And alllllllllllllllllllll the way down to the very front row.

And then I heard laughter coming from behind me.  From a "friend" (Tabitha) who was walking behind me.  I turned around to see what she was laughing at, and when I jerked around really fast, I felt a lot of cold air on my legs.  On the BACK of my legs.  On a part that should have been covered by my cute little purple pleated skirt, but wasn't, because it had gotten tucked into my tights and STAYED THERE, for crying out loud. 

Tabitha had walked out behind me, and to this day I don't know if she saw it or not, but for whatever reason, she did not tell me that the blasted skirt was tucked into my panties.  Tights.  Whatever.  I don't know if I ever believed her or not, but this was always what she told me.  I don't think anyone else ever saw it happen, looking back, but back then that was one embarrassing situation.  Still would be, in fact!  We laughed and laughed and laughed about this for the rest of my  6 year career at ECS.  I don't think I'll ever forget it.  And I so wish I could find Tabitha now, all these years later, and laugh about it with her.

This girl was one of my closest friends at school.  She also saw every dumb thing I ever did.  For instance, the skirt and panty issue.  She also saw me slip on a banana peel in the cafeteria once.  Hello, is this cartoon world, or what?!  I slipped on the peel (who KNEW they were so stinkin' slick?!) threw my hamburger up in the air and juggled a few things to keep from falling, and was SO HORRIFIED at how stupid I must have looked, that I didn't even stop to pick up my burger.  I was pretty proud of myself, though, because Tabitha and I sat at the same lunch table, and I was so excited that she didn't see me do this one dumb thing, for once.  UNTIL a girl (a sweet, girl, I might add) named Amber picked up my dropped hamburger and graciously brought it to me, saying, "Here, Jennifer, you dropped this when you slid on that banana peel."

Tabitha spewed Coke out of her nose.  And I almost peed on myself, I was laughing so hard.

She saw me take a flying leap off of some new steps down by the cafeteria on a rainy day, she saw me fall in mud, she saw my boot laces stick together one day in algebra as I was walking down the aisle unable to move my feet for fear of breaking my nose, she saw me crawl out from under a bathroom stall one day, because, who the HECK knew I was claustrophobic in locked bathroom stalls????  She saw me wig out in a cave (again, small, trapped spaces and me do not get along), she witnessed all 6 years of my bad crazy frizzy/curly hair days, she saw me through my first car, my first wreck, and my first driver's ed course when I called my instructor, the illustrious Coach Powers "gay".

She sat in d-hall with me a time or four, too.  She was NOT one of those "fair weather friends".  She was an awesome gal who was a true friend...one I would LOVE to talk to now.  So if any of my ECS and facebook friends are reading this and know how to find Tabitha (used to be) Middleton, I would love to know how to contact her. 

So, I hope you all had a great laugh at my expense.  I know I have.  I just thought you all would find interesting the reasons why I Hate Thursdays. 

Oh, and just for my peace of mind, I didn't hate ECS forever.  By the time I was halfway through my 7th grade year, I'd fallen in love with it.  The school, the teachers, and the friends I made.  I came to know and love almost everybody there (almost, I said) and made some of the best friends I've ever had.  And by the time senior year came along, we were all like one big, happy family.

Well, most of the time, anyway.  ;)  More about THAT on another day, though.

Love to all.