Ninth Grade
The school year began uneventfully, following the typical retail dash for school clothes and supplies. We raided Woolco for Trapper Keepers and notebooks.
I was assigned to Mr. Hegedus’ homeroom. He was always so funny in Science class.
On the wall was a clever little poster of Mickey Mouse wearing a lab coat, which read:
Mickey was a chemist. Mickey is no more. What Mickey thought was H2O was H2SO4.
“Magic” by Olivia Newton-John and ELO
Olivia Newton-John and ELO – Magic
One perk didn’t escape me—we were now the top dogs at HJHS! The little seventh graders scurried like rabbits underfoot, while some of us looked like Steelers recruits. The range of pubescent growth (and lack thereof) was apparent within those walls. One kid my age, Jim B, looked as if he were 8 … freckles and all.
Surprise Flight to Nassau
One day in October 1980, I accidentally became aware of a surprise plan for a trip by spotting the tickets on the coffee table.
We were headed for the Bahamas over the long Thanksgiving weekend! They indicated reservations for three adults and two children on a Delta flight out of Newark.
I grew extremely excited but didn’t let on to Steven; I also wondered, who’s the third adult? That became apparent on Thanksgiving morning when Mom and Dad brought us (with suitcases) to Nana’s house. We were going for a “four-day stay” there over the holiday weekend. (Steven still was clueless at this point but I played along … I was not about to spoil this for my parents.)
Instead of dropping us off, Nana got in the car with us (plus suitcase of course) and we headed for the airport.
Well, Mom played this out to the hilt as our “suspicions” mounted, now announcing there was going to be a surprise. There was much laughing and feigned astonishment (on my part) as we later found our seats on the Delta DC-8-61. We were giddy with excitement! We were going on the plane! I was immediately fascinated with flying.
“Breakfast In America” by Supertramp
Supertramp – Breakfast In America
The last time I’d been on a commercial jet was at 8 months old in 1967, when my parents brought Nana and me to Miami … needless to say, memories of that babyhood trip escaped me.
I sat by the window during the flight, nose pressed to the tempered glass, as the clouds floated far below the wings. I absolutely loved flying.
In Nassau, we went to the little craft flea markets, swam in the warm ocean, visited an aquarium, and went on tours. Our driver, Roberto was funny and we had a great time.
Once, about a dozen tame flamingos surrounded us, and Nana was petrified of them. We thought that was cute.
The travel slogan at the time was It’s Better In The Bahamas. Magic Man by Heart always reminds me of that trip.
Years later, my brother would tell me that he already knew about the surprise … at least I hadn’t been the bean-spiller.
I turned 14 that fall.
“(Just Like) Starting Over” by John Lennon
John Lennon – (Just Like) Starting Over
One day in late 1980 as I was folding laundry in my room, Starting Over by John Lennon came on and I remember thinking it was a pretty good song with a sort of ‘50s flavor. We were mere months from his senseless murder.
This happened in early 1981, and I came home from school to find my mother crying while watching continuous news coverage.
She’d been a Beatles fan since their American debut, having met them in 1964. Everyone at school was talking about it. And then there were three.
Interesting to note that while waiting for the bus in the mornings that year, I met my old kindergarten Sunday school teacher, Miss Larsen. She was sitting in a parked car sipping hot coffee, as a crossing guard waiting for the little kids.
We got reacquainted as I sat with her in the warm car many times, and she reminded me of my impetuous insistence about Thomas Edison’s role in creating light and my yen to baptize a baby.
I’d forgotten all about that!
Debut of Space Shuttle Program
I remember thinking the Shuttle looked rather like a pregnant airplane with funny wings. It was the latest milestone for NASA.
Thirty years later, on July 8, 2011, the U.S. Space Shuttle Program launched its final mission. Atlantis began its journey to the International Space Station. In my opinion, that marked a sad day for America.
Video of the Astronauts’ final shuttle-era walk
I have observed an entire era be born and come to a close, including terrible accidents involving the shuttles Challenger (1986) and Columbia (2003).
Mom continued treatment and was admitted at St. Peter’s at times. During one of her hospital stays, I made a sequel to the original Mommy In the Hospital.
This version was drawn comic-book style and much more advanced than the one from 1977. I drew a “Mommy” character and Dr. Wu was in it, as well as inside jokes only our family could understand. Volume 2 was a hit.
A glass of soda-milk and a bedtime story
I started babysitting around that time. Most were references through Mom or the church. My rate was $2.50, and $3.00 after midnight.
“What Cha Gonna Do With My Lovin'” by Stephanie Mills
Stephanie Mills – What Cha Gonna Do With My Lovin’
I took each job seriously, asking the parents for emergency lists and other important items.
I sat for several families in East Brunswick, and another in South River. The latter had three girls.
Before bed, they always asked for a concoction they called “soda milk” (Coke or Pepsi mixed with whole milk). I kind of got hooked on it myself.
I never took advantage of any house privileges when I was minding the kids and made a grand attempt to balance the fun with the authority.
Two experiences stick in my mind: the South River family once asked me to baby-sit for their own children PLUS their niece and nephew one New Year’s Eve.
That one got out of hand when the kids jumped on the glass coffee table, cracking it (no injuries resulted, but the parents were not pleased). In retrospect, it took a lot of nerve to park five kids on me in the first place, and I don’t recall extra compensation for it either.
Another was a five-year-old kid who had a bad habit of trying to feel up the babysitter. It happened several times before I gripped his arm firmly and told him to stop.
Let’s just say I never got wealthy from babysitting. However, it was a positive experience, since as the youngest granddaughter, I had no other opportunities in caring for young children.
