Wednesday, October 18, 2006

The Ghosts of Dead Teenagers



In high school, I fluctuated between two groups of people -- kids who thought it was a sin to drink a carbonated beverage of any sort (body as temple) and those who smoked pot laced with meth (body as rec room). I certainly did not make it with the strict religious types whose big Christmas party rebellion was to sneak in a two-liter of Dr. Pepper to sneak outside in small paper cups (I'd already convinced my mother that Coke was a perfectly good breakfast and gave me energy), yet I didn't fit with the hard-core try anything types either because I so feared losing control of myself in any situation, save for the once a month wine cooler or heaven help us, Zima. There wasn't much to do in Mineral Wells except to get drunk and look for scary shit like the ghosts of dead teenagers out in the woods (people told lots of scary stories surrounding people who had died untimely deaths in accidents) or pregnant (our small high school already had a nursery that catered to twenty-two of our student's babies) so I had a lot of time to fantasize about what life might be like on the outside.

Once in the fifth grade, my mother took my friend Curtis and I to the mall in Ft. Worth near Christmas. Curtis bought me a Christmas present (Robot Dreams by Isaac Asimov, the only science fiction I have ever read) and a pair of bright lime green gloves at Bennetton. Nobody in Mineral Wells had such festive gloves! My mother broke out in laughter when she saw us, Curtis adorned with his new purchase and asked him where he planned on wearing the gloves, given that it never got really cold in that part of Texas. Not while I'm in Mineral Wells, he said. They're for when I leave after high school. How his future must have gleamed against the single note of doom that played in those days of dodging the assholes that yelled faggot in the halls. It was a cold day with a grey sky and the gloves were the only bright thing I could see for miles.

Michelle's Spell of the Day

"The future was ours -- it always belongs to the ones who are unhappy in the present." Kathy Dobie, The Only Girl In the Car

Cocktail Hour

Drinking music suggestion: Trouble Man, Marvin Gaye (This is a soundtrack to a movie very loosely corresponding with some of Marvin's life.)

Benedictions and Maledictions

Happy Wednesday to everyone!

15 comments:

Anonymous said...

Oh my god, Bennetton! When I was growing up, there was a Bennetton in a neighboring town's mall, (our town was far too poor to support one), and I would save, save, save to buy just one skirt there, one bottle of perfume ...

Anonymous said...

In answer to a question posed in the comment section of the pervious post and, as a member of the audience, I always prefer sweetness and light, deep down(with a wisp if possible.).

Anonymous said...

That should be "previous" post, not "pervious" post in the above post, referring to yesterday's Spell, "I'm the Evil Twin." Also, today's Michelle photo is a joyous mime answer to my question(also in yesterday's Spell).

Anonymous said...

My mother would never allow soda for breakfast. It was always orange juice in the morning, with milk on the cereal. "The calcium in orange juice is good for your teeth," she would always say.

Anonymous said...

I woke up this morning and I got myself a beer.

Anonymous said...

Good morning, Starshine, the Earth says, hello!

Anonymous said...

Today's "Quote of the Day": There are four questions of value in life...What is sacred? Of what is the spirit made? What is worth living for, and what is worth dying for? The answer to each is the same. Only love.--Don Juan deMarco

Anonymous said...

Can I call you Caramel?/Cuz I'm bout to go coo-coo to taste your Coco Puffs--Trick Daddy

Anonymous said...

I don't drink...wine.

Anonymous said...

Red red wine.

Anonymous said...

Today's "Freaky Fact": Shakespeare's father was a glover.

Tikilee said...

Wow, I haven't thought of Zima in quite a long while. I love the post. Wrapped up very well with the contrast of gloom grey and bright green. Keep on Bloggin', the modern day answer to the long forgotten and often joked about "Keep On Truckin'".

JR's Thumbprints said...

Brings back memories of my days as the captain of my high school cross country team. Some of the runners used to take No-Doz, claiming it was a form of speed and made you run faster. I could always tell who took it, they were constantly running to the bathroom before a race. Also, midseason I was reduced to co-captain because of rumors of smoking pot (which I never denied). My co-captain had a glass eye, swore off soda pop, beat me in every practice, and lost to me in every race. Go figure.

Anonymous said...

Cajun QUeen, bodys rec room temple Rock On Foxy Lady R2 C2! Barefoot Beauty Mighty Isis Shazammmmm

John Ricci said...

Dear Michelle,

Another most charming post and view, as always. Your kicking feet up reminds me so much of my Catholic school days. Bravo!