This is me, pt1

Let me start with the disclaimer of my grammar will most likely be horrible, so please bear that in mind while reading.

I was 12 years old whenever we moved from New Orleans to Ohio, and I was just starting junior high. In New Orleans, I was like every other kid my age, had plenty of friends, and the football team that I played for made it to the championship game that was played in the Superdome (home to the New Orleans Saints).

I was fortunate enough to have traveled to far off places like England, Scotland and Wales. My Easter break was spent visiting Buckingham Palace, the London bridge, and the tower of London. I was the only kid in my class to have traveled outside of the United States.

Often times on the weekends we would pack up the station wagon and go visit family on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Our dad would take us boys way out in the water to where it was up to his chest holding us in his arms. Mom, like any good mother would be on the shore screaming her head off scared that we were going to drown,as we laughed and had fun.

Life was good in New Orleans. Then came the move to Ohio....

We moved to a small rural town called Conesville. This town was so small that it did not even have a real mayor. The mayor was just someone decided to call themselves mayor. Straight across the street from our house was a cornfield and up until then I had never seen one. Occasionally the siren would sound at the local volunteer fire department whenever a fire or car accident had occurred. This was another one of things that I had no idea of what it was the first time that I heard it.

I spent my days playing in the woods, cornfield, and the little creek next to our house. I would also ride my bike on trails and over dirt ramps created by others my age. Then it was time to get me enrolled in school.

Home of the Black Bears

River View Junior High was located in a rural setting as well. We would have to get up around 5am to catch the bus which came between 5:30 and 6am depending on the weather. Then it was an hour-long ride since there were so many other students to pick up. I have probably explored more of the backroads in Ohio than Lewis and Clark.

For most of the kids they had all grown up together and attended school together since the 1st grade. I was the outsider with the funny accent, and believe me they made sure to let me know on a daily basis that I was an outsider. Because of my strong New Orleans accent I would say things like y'all (you guys or youins in Ohio) or where'yat (where are you in Ohio) or even yeah you right (I agree in Ohio).

While the other kids, most of whom had grown up on farms, were wearing shitkickers (boots) with cow shit or pig shit on them, there I was in my bright colored clothing (lots of neon, it was the 80's) and my Adidas or Chucks.

Not only was I teased and bullied for the way I spoke, but also my choice of attire was scrutinized as well. Most days I sat alone at lunch time and kept to myself. Something that I tend to do whenever I go somewhere call it social anxiety, being anti-social, or whatever. I never really had real friends back then and when I would try to make friends it didn't last long because the others would make fun of them for being nice to me.

Purple Rain and my first Junior High Dance

In an effort to fit in more I decided to attend my first ever school dance, what a disaster that would turn into. There I was in my acid wash denim jeans, Adidas, and red Michael Jackson zipper jacket. My hair was spiked I was ready to go. I was the only kid who knew how to break dance without looking like I was having a seizure. From the moment that I arrived I could hear the laughing and snickering from other students. I remember the first time that I asked a girl to dance, she laughed in my face and said"yeah right as if". Kind of comical to hear valley girl talk coming from a farm chick who could eat grass and shit bales of hay.

Finally, a girl named Leslie took pity on me and asked me to dance with her the song was Purple Rain by Prince. My first time ever dancing I did not know where my hands were supposed to go. Naturally I followed her lead she put her hands on both my shoulders, so I did the same in return. Then someone decided to take a picture and I had such a big smile, I was beaming from ear to ear. Some time later that picture found its way into our yearbook with the capture that read "who is leading who?".

The art teacher and yearbook director Mr.Ashcraft thought it would be humorous to add the caption.

I didn't think much of it, until the picture really started to circulate and kids started teasing me about it even more. That would be the last school dance I would ever attend for quite a few years.

The monsters of Halloween.

It was Halloween time and we were allowed to dress up and by this time I had was used to not fitting in and being an outcast, so much so, that I was not to going to make myself more of a target. I quickly realized that whether I dressed up or not I was still a target. From the moment that I got off the bus that morning up until school was out all I heard was how "Look everyone Rick decided to dress like a clown for Halloween" to which others would reply "Just like every other day" or "but where is his costume".

I suppose that a one reason why I don't dress up now or attend Halloween parties as an adult.

The reason for me writing this isn't to garner sympathy or anything like that . It is to show people who are bullied or might feel like they are not good enough that they are not alone.

I will be writing more and adding a couple more parts to this and telling my story all throughout my high school experience. The good part is yet to come so please be sure to follow and check back later this week.