rememories

You know how TV shows and movies and people use the gag of getting your husband socks for Christmas? Well, socks were one of my favorite Christmas presents ever. They were black socks, long ones, from a woman I taught swim lessons with. She thought that my legs and feet must be too cold because I always wore short socks. And so, being motherly, she bought be a couple of pairs of longer socks. I wear them all the time and I think of her.

Isn't it weird how memory works? How it can elude some of us but bless others. Fool us. Confuse us. Make us argue over whose is right. I don't have a very good memory. I don't remember much of my childhood. And the things I do remember I am not sure are real. Like I remember my cat Frisky dying in my lap before I had to go to school. I think he peed and I had to change. Grandpa Bates had buried him by the time I got back.

But I don't know if that's real.

I remember cheating on a spelling test in first grade. I couldn't remember if "white" had an "h" in it. I was pretty sure it did, but just to check I got out an eraser from my box and checked my white crayon. Pretty clever. And I'm pretty sure that one is real.

I remember when my period leaked through my tampon in junior high so I spent the rest of the day with my sweatshirt tied around my waist. That one is real. I was in Mr. Browning's class when I discovered it. Well, I left to go to the bathroom.

I remember trying to keep the bees away from the table where I was selling apples by spilling a little bit of Sprite on the floor.

I remember my mom's boobs being the most comfortable place to lay my head.

I remember swim meets that lasted all day. I think I used to be good when I was little. Then I grew boobs.

I remember falling either off the diving block or just off the side of the pool and landing on the edge with my hoochie cooch. And my mom and sisters rushing me into the locker room to look at it to make sure it was okay.

I remember hunting for earth worms after it rained.

I remember the power going out and being mad that Becky and Mandy got to use the lantern to play a game because I wanted it to play make believe.