Click-kuck

Back-to-school 1st grade: A 6-year-old boy sitting on a desk. His shoes made of raggedy torn canvas as most play shoes were back then. Indiana snow shin-deep walking to school. A teacher calling him to the front of the class. Everyone laughing as she removed his wet shoes and socks and rubbed his feet to get them warm. He felt so ashamed and hated her that day. Only many years later did he understand the immense love it took for a teacher to do that for a child.

Click-kuck

Back-to-school 3rd grade: The same boy smiling as he entered class. Wearing a brand new shirt. Sitting next to a girl he liked. Until the teacher changed seat assignments and moved everyone according to their names alphabetically. As only luck would have it, he ends up in a row alone at the back. He watches as the others laugh and talk with each other. The girl he likes never looks his way. He hated his new shirt.

Click-kuck

Back-to-school 6th grade: A boy and his younger brother walking to school together. Kicking through brightly colored maple leaves as big as dinner plates. A slight mist is in the Seattle air. Other kids are yelling and waving. He wished the walk was longer.

Click-kuck

Back-to-school 7th grade: Another new school. More new kids to meet. Most already knew each other. The boy always felt like a stranger. He wished he could go to the same school two years in a row, but he knew his parents didn’t care.

Click-kuck

Back-to-school 9th grade: His first love. The girl next door. She was a year older but a summer spent together brought them closer. Hours spent looking out windows at each other. He hated school days that kept them apart.

Click-kuck

Back-to-school 10th grade: School started. He a freshman, she a sophomore. Her beauty and popularity a magnet to other boys. He couldn’t hold on. Why should she? His first love given to another better than him. In his heart, he knew it must be so.

Click-kuck

Back-to-school 12th grade: A boy too close to being a man. A Draft Notice for Military duty. Vietnam* the reward for graduation. He remembers that day kicking through leaves with his brother. Now that he thinks about it. It was just long enough.

Click-kuck

Back-to-school 1st grade: “C’mon dad! I don’t want to be late on my first day!”

*As a point of clarity and out of respect for my military brothers and sisters who served in Vietnam, I'm adding this footnote. I was drafted by the Army, but served four years in the Navy. My orders diverted me to an aviation training squadron based in the U.S. While I was awarded Vietnam Era ribbons, I avoided action there. My apologies to all for a less than thorough original post.