That day at recess...

My cousin Jo, one of the coolest people I know by the way, shared with me a blog that is currently having a contest going on by a teacher who writes the blog. She wants to find out, or should I say prove to her students that recess is not all its cracked up to be. You know, how every child if asked what there favorite part of the school day is, will always answer recess. Because of all the things a teacher does to make the day what it is, it seems hard for her to understand why the only part of the day that a teacher is not apart of, happens to be the favorite. So... she is asking for our stories. We all have them, but the kinds of stories that we remember something dramatic happening in school, and yes, it was usually during recess. If you are intersted in entering her contest here is the link to her blog: http://spinmewriteround.blogspot.com/2010/05/ridiculous-recess-or-my-first-contest.html
So... here is my story...

I remember sitting in class with my 2nd grade attention span, waiting for our teacher Mrs Jo, to dismiss us for recess. It was nothing new for Mrs. Jo, who was only a few inches taller then most of us, but had us scared into believing she was taller then most of our fathers, to keep us in to the very last second. In fact I am pretty sure she enjoyed watching us wiggle in our seats as we would watch all the other 2nd grade classrooms march down the hall, watching the back of the person in front of them, as to not step out of line and have to return to the classroom to "try it again". As the last child could be seen walking out the door, then and only then, we would be released!  As long as we walked quietly to the door and remained that way until we were out of site of Mrs. Jo, then we were free!!
This particular afternoon I was very excited to meet up with my best friend because we had each brought a brown paper sack, full of picture of our favorite song artists, and secret crushes. My friends bag was full of pictures of Micheal Jackson, and mine full of the singer Prince!!  Our future husbands of course! (Gag...) We were so excited to share them with each other, and met up where we had planned the night before on the phone, at the merry go round.
We were busy swapping, and dreaming about our pictures as we straddled the seats of the old wooden merry go round. Oblivious to anything else going on around us, the time flew quickly and eventually we heard the bell ring. I will never forget that moment, as I stood to run inside, and the back of my navy blue polyester pants caught the rusty bolt  near where I was sitting. I can still hear in my mind today the slow rip.....and feel the cold breeze on my then exposed back side!!  My friend had ran ahead, and I was left standing alone. Watching all the kids running into the back side of the large brown building of our school and seeing kids snickering as they ran past me, I felt frozen in time.
It felt like hours before my friend realized she was running alone, and stopped and came running back to rescue me!  I explained to her what had happened and we stood wondering what we could do to get inside with out anyone else seeing me, and in time to not receive the wrath of Mrs. Jo, for being late.
Eventually, my hero, and friend to this day, helped me transform our brown paper sacks into a mock skirt, and she walked with me slowly all the way to the office to make that 911 call to mom.
Looking back, I am sure this is not the worst thing that could have ever happened to a child at recess, but it is one I will never forget. Those moments that cause insecurity in our minds, truly believing and fearing to myself that I would aways be known as the kid who's pants ripped open at recess, was a fear of mine for the rest of second grade!!
 As I got older, I realized through experience that there would be many bigger and much more embarrassing things to become known as. More things that in those moment seem to change our lives forever. Funny thing is I would guess, that not one person from Lincoln school that year, besides me and my hero, even remember that day. But when we live those moments, they are so real and seem so important.  Each event is written in the journal of our minds, and I suppose in away, made us who we are today and not to forget, gave us funny stories to write about in the future!!