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Previous Challenge Entry (Level 2 – Intermediate)
Topic: Funny (10/04/12)
I still remember my grade school days. Some happenings were worth remembering like making friends and learning to read and write. Others not so great, like bullying second graders making fun of me for various reasons.

One time in first grade, humiliated by an incident in class, I became afraid to go to school. I pretended to be sick and my mother, feeling sorry for me, let me stay home. Sometimes, I could fool my parents, but I didn’t get away with it for long.

After the third grade, I became less sensitive and going to school no longer terrified me.

Looking back, one event in grade school taught me about courage and humiliation. I surprised myself in how I dealt with it.

In the fourth grade, my class had a program, and we were to invite our parents to see us perform. I happened to be in two different acts: one playing a duet on the piano,and in the other, I played a gypsy.

My mom made a beautiful outfit with an orange vest that I loved. I couldn’t wait to wear it and perform the dance.

The day arrived: parents, students, the nuns, and our pastor were in the audience. I played my piano duet with Sandy and left for a quick change of clothes. I ran to the washroom to put on the skirt; I used a safety pin to fasten the skirt because the button fell off. I hurried back to the platform, grabbed my tambourine, and joined the other girls for the dance.

The music started. We came out, tambourines in hand, and started the dance. Everything was going great until the safety pin broke and my skirt fell to the floor. I stood there in my slip while people laughed. Father Dennis’s face turned red. He tried hard to hold in the laugher, but lost it a moment later.

The word embarrassment doesn’t describe how I felt. What I did next even surprised me. I picked up the skirt, held it up with one hand, and held the tambourine with the other. I finished the dance and left like nothing had happened.

It took courage to stand there when people were laughing at me. I didn’t think it was funny, but I strongly believe the Lord gave me the courage; I know I would have run off the minute my skirt fell to the floor. My self-esteem stayed intact even when I saw my mother laughing, too.

At the time, I didn’t have a personal relationship with the Lord, but I am thoroughly convinced that He was with me when I picked up my skirt and continued the dance. I also thanked the Lord that I wore a slip.

Believe or not, I played Mary at Christmas and lost my veil. I didn’t run then either.
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This article has been read 757 times
Member Comments
Member
Date
C D Swanson 
10/11/12
I loved this story. What a courageous young lady to continue in the face of adversity! Wow. Nicely done, and God was definitely there, He gave you the ability to carry on.

Great job. Thanks.

God bless~
Shann Hall-LochmannVanBennekom 
10/11/12
Oh this is such a touching story. You evoked a whole bunch of emotions from me. I love your MC and you did a nice job of showing her personality to the reader.

Some of your sentences are just a tad awkward. For example this one caused me to stumble a bit: bullying second graders
Instead maybe second grade bully would have flowed better. A good suggestion is to have someone read your story out loud, if they stumble, you may want to restructure that sentence.

When I got to the part about the MC pulling up her skirt and keep playing I wanted to stand up and cheer. It's easy to think it's funny as long as you're not the one with the skirt on the floor. I think this is a beautiful example and you really touched my heart. Nice job.
Lynn Smith
10/16/12
I remember in 4th grade my class did a play called 'Kinderella,' a different view of Cinderella. I played the step- mother and wore my mother's dress and shawl that she still had from the 60's. My mom had given me her brooch to wear also, that I put on the shawl to keep it in place, but during the play I had to take the shawl off as part of the act but the brooch wouldn't budge. I stood there, in front of everyone, trying my hardest to get the pin to come out but it wouldn't. I was so embarrassed but I had to continue on.

Very good story. I can relate on many levels.

God bless!
Brenda Rice
10/16/12
Thanks for sharing your story. I'm also thankful that you had on a slip. If that happened today who knows what would happen. I often think undergarments are out of fashion. Good job.
Noel Mitaxa 
10/17/12
Congratulations on holding your poise when an episode like that could have sown the seeds of "skirtzophrenia" in later life. Terrific descriptions all the way through.
Judy Sauer 
10/18/12
Good for you to not run away. And losing your veil? Worse things can happen in life. You made me laugh. Thank you.
Phyllis Inniss 
10/18/12
The audience laughed,but people enjoy a good laugh and when it comes to children the laughter is not to ridicule, but to enjoy the moment. I like the phrase "like bullying second graders" better than the one suggested by another reviewer. It reads as being more original and gives life to how you felt as a child. Keep up the good work in your writing.