The Story of My Life Part 7: 3rd thru 6th grade

So, life at home was great in our mobile home in the senior citizen trailer court, but school was another story. I started 3rd grade at my new school, Lincoln Elementary, with some excitement mixed with some trepidation. I didn't know anyone really, but was open to making new friends. I had a great teacher, Mrs. Roberts, who was very kind to me, but all that year I didn't really click with any of the other students. I didn't make any new school friends that year, but I did start concentrating on my studies. I discovered I loved to learn and was good at it. I didn't worry about the friends too much, but I could tell my teacher was worried, so I was put into a completely different class in 4th grade in hopes I'd make some friends in there.

The first week in my new class was great. The girls were very friendly to me even though they all seemed to already be in their own little group. One girl, in particular, let's call her Natalie, seemed to take a special liking to me. In fact, she wanted to be my friend so much she practically planned my birthday party for me (my birthday is Sept. 9th, so about 2 weeks after the start of school) and told me to invite all her friends. Sounded fine to me, so the day of my party at my house, all these girls come over and I remember I had pizza and I think some games planned, a pretty low key party, but I think everyone will have a good time. Well, I soon learn otherwise, these girls start to badmouth me and trash my party and in general be very rude and obnoxious. The worst part was that Natalie, who had up to that point, seemed like my new best friend suddenly starts acting like my worst enemy. She starts making fun of me and telling me she was only "friends" with me to get her and her friends over to my birthday party. I'm pretty stunned and not sure how to act about this turnaround, after the party is over, I'm hoping the worst is over too. Only, it's just begun. Suddenly, all these girls at school are pulling my hair, spitting on me, teasing me about my clothes, my good grades, anything they could think of. Natalie is the ring leader, trying every day to make my life miserable. 4th grade ends and 5th grade begins.

There's a new ringleader, let's call her Candy, Natalie has somehow lost favor with the crowd and gets treated just as badly as me. I actually try to be her friend, because I sympathize with her plight, but I remember she bitterly rejects my offers of friendship, and hates me almost more. Meanwhile, Candy, at recess approaches me with her little group and bullies and taunts me. I get teased after recess, the girls tell the boys to see if they can make me cry and then when I do they tease me even worse. At one point, the torture does let up some, I'm somewhat friends with a girl named Heather in the group and she defends me as best she can. She even invites me to her birthday party where the other girls seem to think I'm alright--for a time.

In 6th grade, it's pretty much more of the same. It was a tough time, but there were some bright spots, one was my teacher, Mrs. Gerschutz. She was my friend and my teacher for 4th, 5th, and 6th grade. She tried to help me and encouraged me in my studies--which was another bright spot. I buried myself in learning. I'd read encyclopedias, devour books on anything that interested me, from Greek Mythology to Astronomy.

I know people say junior high was the worst, but honestly, I was looking forward to getting out of that elementary school. But we're not quite out yet, I have even more good and bad stories to tell, but that's for another time....to be continued...