Story Number One

There are two things on my mind right now that are still fresh. I can either explain why I dislike MySpace now, or I can talk about high school and how I made a girl frown. It's really a coin flip. It could go either way.

("It could go either way." I say that too much now. Especially when they are holding A-K, and I have 9-9. The odds are close to 50-50, so it could go...my way or theirs. Either way.)

How about a legitimate coin flip? ...Tails.

First, I'll have to explain something from years before. Back in 8th grade, I was kicked out of GT English. I was told that GT stood for 'gifted and talented.' I was in all of the GT classes. But I hated reading, and I didn't like the teacher, so I really half-assed it. Well, more like quarter-assed it. Well, more like...you see where this is going...

When I hit 10th grade, they wanted to put me back into the advanced English class. But they called it 'Pre-AP' English. It conflicted with my AP Algebra II class, so I had to choose. I didn't care for anything considered 'Pre-AP.' It made the class sound like it was full of students that were only a little above-average. In that case, I'd rather have a 97 in 'regular' English than a 90 in 'Pre-AP' English. (I don't remember what I made.)

During the summer between my 11th grade and 12th grade years, I went to summer school for 2 days with the intention of clearing out English IV. Had to get out, so I ended up taking it during the regular school year. That teacher somehow got the privilege of getting a teacher's aide. She was a cute girl, and only one grade behind me. She was on the drill team, so not only did I see her every weekday from 11:50 to 12:40, I also saw her during band practice on Friday mornings and at the football games later those nights. (The seating arrangement. You know, a picture would work really well here. I sat two seats behind and to the right of her.)

She was friends with the girl who sat to the right of me. I wasn't attracted to her at all. She was nice, but we all know what it means when you describe someone by saying, "Well, they're really sweet..." Either way, that girl had a crush on me. But I had a crush on the teacher's aide. So it was really awkward when I found out.

I didn't want things to get worse, but I also wanted to put myself out there. I told the teacher's aide how I felt. It wasn't mutual. I did the whole, "It's ok, I understand" routine and went back to my seat. Things were really awkward after that.

So, one day a college counselor came to our class. She listed some universities and asked if any of us were going to one. I raised my hand and mentioned UT-Austin. She put a shocked look on her face and asked whether it was through a scholarship or financial aid, and I replied, "Yes." (Man, I was such a smart-ass. Still am, though.) I slumped back in my chair because it got quiet. In my peripheral, I noticed that the teacher's aide was just staring at me. She wasn't smiling. She just had that look of, "Wait...what?" I know she was waiting for me to look at her, or at least acknowledge her with some sound. Didn't.

Whenever I reminisce like this, I always ask myself if there was something I would go back and change. For this particular moment, the answer is no. But concerning high school in general, I would have tried a bit harder. I was an A-B student. If I liked the subject, it was an A. If I didn't like the subject and/or the teacher, it was a B. I would definitely go back and turn those B's into A's. I would have put myself out there for 'the ladies' more than I did. (After I graduated, I received a list of the girls who were into me. A few were more than acceptable.)

So, next up is why I'm done with MySpace. In fact, I'm going to log in right now to post a bulletin. I'm going to let people know that I'm done with it. Or should I just not say a thing? I'm not sure...

Coin flip...