I believe it is a common occurrence that most children have a rough year growing up. At some point, they experience a year so dreadful, it can make or break them, because, let’s face it… Growing up is hard as hell.
My dreadful year was 7th grade. We’d just moved to a new town, no friends, new school, etc. You get the picture…
Well, having grown up with only my dad around, and my two brothers, the female influences in my life were… lacking, at best.
(And I can’t believe I’m actually about to admit this on THE INTERNET. WHERE EVERYONE CAN SEEEEE…ZOMG….)
Well, I hadn’t yet started to… shave my legs. I remember my friends at my other school asking me when I was going to start shaving, but I didn’t know anything about anything feminine, so I didn’t have the slightest clue.
I definitely have some Italian influences, if you know what I mean… So, though my legs were quite tan, it could not cover up the Italian-style growth on them.
Then, on the second or third day, I wore shorts to school.
Needless-to-say, the school year went down hill from there. Mocked incessantly, called every name in the book. While kids can be quite cruel, damn, can they be creative. “Chewbacca”, “Chewy”, and my personal favorite, “Chew-Becca” (Nice, huh??)
I didn’t wear jeans for the rest of the year. No matter how hot it got: Jeans.
I bore this with the help of my posse of two friends, but hey… At least they accepted me for who I was, and what was growing from my legs, but I didn’t DARE tell my dad.
To be honest, I have no idea why. Being a girl, growing up in a house of all boys, I automatically hated anything that made me different, I.E., feminine. I even hid the fact that I started my period for TWO YEARS from my dad, so OF COURSE I’m going to hide any personal struggles from him.
In April, I finally broke down. I cried and told him why I refused to wear shorts to school. Told him how miserable my year had been, how much I had been made fun of.
He listened, very patiently. Now, I don’t remember what the outcome of that conversation was exactly, it was nearly 12 years ago! BUT, suffice it to say, that I started shaving my legs shortly thereafter.
When I was 10 weeks pregnant, I took my dad out to dinner, and confessed my predicament.
No judgement, no condemnation. Just love…
Maybe he’s not perfect, and maybe my childhood wasn’t perfect either, but there’s one thing he always is, and always has been… He’s been THERE. He was there for me when I got my first heart-break, he was there for me through all of my stupid decisions.
And, here he is.. In Baton Rouge. He moved with our family, to help us out.
I love you, Dad. Words could never quite express it, but I appreciate you too. For all that you’ve done, in 7th grade, and every day.
