In Class: Old Thing

         The essence of my high school years (and some college) rests beside me leaning upon the metal stand of this old classroom desk.  Like my life, it was a gift from my rents. Madre y padre is what I call them.   

Black encompasses this essence.  Not “emo” black, which was a common term passed around in middle school for those who had side bangs and wore dark clothes.  The essence is colored black more for the purpose of “black goes with everything” kind of black.  See I was, am, a smart girl and black tends to match most other colors and I didn’t want my bag to look awkward with anything that I wore.  Okay, it also might be possible that my OCD is guilty.  After all it’s anything but hidden by my said reasoning for the color.

I was proud of my essence when I got it.  It was smooth, full in color, and obviously brand new.  It even had my name sewn upon the front of it in lime green. “Lindsey.”  I brought it to the first day of my high school career as a freshie.  

I eventually got comfortable enough to leave it with a favorite teacher on my floor.  See, I was too lazy to deal with lockers.  My vice principle would walk around the school like he had nothing better to do and take all of our jams out once or twice a week.  It wasn’t worth my time.  Well this was a mistake.  

One day I got home from school and noticed the word “PENIS” residing on a silver strip under the L.L. Bean sign.  Yes, I had been walking around all afternoon with this vulgar word on my backpack.  I knew the culprits.  I believe they were getting me back for making a joke on their behalves a few days back.  Or they were just being typical seventeen year old boys. 

         I was livid because of the vandalization.  I guess one could say my mom fixed it by drawing little artistic doodles around it.  It will never be the same.  But, it’s been with me this long and I don’t regret a moment shared.