Today my thoughts, and rusty Marvel Super Heroes lunchbox, go out to every kid who made that long trek to the end of the driveway to wait for the school bus.
This week you return to the world of lefty scissors, mathematics, and state sanctioned torture otherwise known as gym class dodgeball. After two months of summer vacation — half of which you spent complaining about utter boredom — it is time again to find your assigned seat. Just watch out for the well-chewed gum on the chair and those nose goblins lurking under the desk.
While it has been decades since I've had to raise my hand for permission to go to the bathroom, the first days of September still invoke back to school memories.
Kindergarten can cause a few tears — and not just on the faces of five year olds. Not to mention all those rote lessons of ABC's and 1,2,3's, colors, shapes, tying your shoes and not eating Play-Doh. However, I fondly recall my first school teacher, Mr. Palmer. A colossal man (although the little furniture probably distorted perspective) with a mustache that would make Geraldo feel like peach fuzz, Mr. Palmer's heart was as big as his dress loafers. I'll never forget everyone screaming with delight — or just plain terror — when he burst into the hallway dressed as the Incredible Hulk before the elementary school Halloween parade.
The thing I really miss about kindergarten, however, is snack time followed by nap time. Unfortunately snoozing on a carpet square is frowned upon in the adult work world.
As the grade school years progressed, preparing for the new school year meant a shopping trip of epic proportions. While the 80 mile trip to the nearest mall was bad enough, trying on "husky" boys clothes was worse. In a matter of 24 hours, I went from putting together model cars to modeling Toughskin jeans for my mother and the JC Penney sales lady; talk about a bad ending to the obligatory "What I did this summer" oral report.
At least I could pick out my own school supplies like big pink erasers and folders with three-ring binders. I always opted for the hardcover editions because they provided the best protection against banana peels and other projectiles on the school bus.
Going back to school after summer hiatus meant changes in teachers, bus routes and locker combinations. However, you could always count on there being a subtle green stripe on the cafeteria hotdogs and putting your head between your knees for a tornado drill. More importantly, your best friend still honored the B.F.F. written next to his signature and the words 'stay cool' in last year's yearbook.
Of course by this time next year, I'll be wondering how summer vacation — and the last five years — went by so fast. I'm sure seeing Daddy choke up at the sight of a #2 Barbi pencil will make for an indelible back to school moment.
Grand Traverse Herald editor Garret Leiva can be reached at 933-1416 or email gleiva@gtherald.com