Back to School

It's back to school time once again. These days, kids go packed off literally packed.  Even the youngest carry book bags nearly as big as themselves.

When I was a kid, I was lucky to start off with a box of Crayolas (the 16-pack, not even the 48 or heaven forbid the 64) and a pencil.  If you were really fortunate (and I never was), you got to start off with one of these.

 

I was always envious of the kids who had these.  Maybe if my sister had had one of these, that horrible incident wouldn't have occurred on my first day of Kindergarten.  If I think hard enough, it's almost like I can see her and myself on that fateful day... Oh wait. I have a picture.

Sure, I look happy and eager to start school in the picture, but in truth I was terrified.

After riding the bus to school (a very short trip up the road) and exiting onto the parking lot of our elementary school, we were herded into separate lines depending on the location of our respective classrooms. My sister being 4 years older than me was entering an entirely separate part of the building on the other side of the playground.  As each of our lines slowly shortened toward the entrances, I began to panic.  Just before each of us was about to enter, I freaked out and ran to her, colliding with her and knocking every one of those 48 Crayola Crayons she's holding in that picture above out of her hands and out of the box, scattering them all over the ground. It's pretty much a blur from there.  I do remember her yelling at me as she kneeled on the ground and began picking them up. I don't know how I ended up back in line, whether a teacher collared me or I just walked dejectedly back.  All I know is I was glad to get back home again.