Thirteen Moments from my Thirteenth Year

In honor of Friday the 13th, I offer these excerpts from entries in the diary / log I kept during my thirteenth year. (From age 12 to 13, to be more specific).

Jan. 6, 1973

Today we still had no electricity because of the ice storm. We’re one of those 30,000 homes. I hope ours comes on tomorrow. Didn’t do anything much today. Listened to the radio for a very long time and mom told me to turn it off so I wouldn’t use the batteries up. (They are used up, but she doesn’t know it.)

Jan. 12

Today I had to go to the orthodontist to see what kind of braces my teeth need. He put these metal bands on, and then, he filled this mouth piece with gooey white stuff and put it in my mouth. This way, he got the shape of my teeth. It’s gross, though.

Jan. 14

Our Siamese fighting fish jumped out of his bowl! We found him dead on the table.

Jan. 28

Well, I found out that what people called the “end of the Vietnam War” just meant the Americans were out of it. I’m still glad, though.

Feb. 15

When I went shopping I got two new records. One is “Superstition” by Stevie Wonder, and the other is “Could It Be I’m Falling In Love,” by the Spinners. Mom likes them too! She’s moving with the generation gap and has been in very good moods.

March 14

When I came home I caught an earthworm and named him Einstein. I caught him for my science class, and I’m going to take him to school tomorrow.

March 20

We had Personal Growth today. (That’s Sex Education and the emotional changes that happen). Mrs. Kinnard asked how many girls had started. I haven’t. Last summer Mom said I would start soon. It doesn’t seem that way, though. I’m sort of flat. Not as flat as when I was 3, though. I can’t wait to start!

May 24

At school today, we were about to see a movie, when it got very dark and quiet outside. Mrs. Ryan was looking out the window. Then she suddenly said, “Lou-Ann, come here!” The class started to get up, but she told us “Sit down!” Miss McGee (Lou-Ann) went over to look outside. It got very, very windy and suddenly it started hailing like mad. It got so windy, I thought we were having a tornado. The hail was as big as marbles and golf balls. It broke 3 windows – 2 in the chapel. We wanted to look out our homeroom window but they wouldn’t let us. I was scared to death!

July 5

I’m in a rut now. Marty invited me to a party and so did Pearl. Pearl’s is a boy-girl party. I’m sure I can’t go. I’m going to have to tell her.

August 1

Pearl came over to hang out and we listened to records. We read more juicy parts in the book Tomboy. Of course I have to read it in secret because I know Mom wouldn’t let me read any kind of book like this. It would probably be a rated R or X movie.

Sept. 19

Oh, you know what? We’re having a Mass for the opening of school (ha!) and since they want the “Spirit to blow in us,” they compared us to sailboats with wind blowing in them. So for Mass we have to pin paper sailboats on our uniform to remind us of the blowing Spirit! Isn’t that crappy?

In religion class I just couldn’t be serious. It was very boring.

October 23

Today Sister J.H. IRKED me – and the whole eighth grade! Today was the first day of swimming, and all the 8^th graders except Linda forgot their swimsuits. Sister automatically accused us of forgetting on purpose so we could get in more volleyball practice. We didn’t do it on purpose! We wrote a note to her and she said that was an immature way to approach this. That made me mad. Also, a Watergate hearing was on and Richard Nixon was speaking. Everyone HAD to watch it. Just because I didn’t have my eyes on the TV (I was listening to it and couldn’t see through Margaret’s big head anyway) she said, “Mary, you’re in the 8^th grade, you should be watching this!” Ooooooh!!!

Nov. 3

Whew! I’m sleeping in the den since I saw the spider in my bed last night. Good Night!