Alphaville

Forever young? Maybe not. Alpha and I continued our relationship, and things were good...yeah...good. Then I think we both realized that I was restless and he needed to move on too. I was a teenager, I was over 5' 10" and folks on Newbury street were starting to notice. Shit. I was in love, I loved him so much, couldn't picture a day without him. But there was distance, there were changes and ultimately, Alpha and I broke. I was down. I was depressed. I wish I had known how he felt. I always regret that I feel I broke his heart. That wasn't cool. Youth...whatever.

School was shitty to say the least. I was harassed relentlessly by the jocks (looking as I did they just assumed it was ok to grab tits, ass, rip clothes, etc...yeah cuz that's normal), teased and challenged daily by girls (god forbid a girl be tall and have boobs), and worst -written off by teachers and councillors. I was told everything from "there's no hope for you" to "focus on marrying well". College wasn't an option, though I received an offer of full scholarship from Johnson & Wales as I was a standout in my culinary classes. My parents, as JW's said that college would take away from my service to their god and was not acceptable. There went tens of thousands of dollars in the trash. I don't think I will eve be ok with that.

As I was a minority student being bussed to the burbs for school we were expected to maintain a high GPA...or play sports. Sports were verboten by JW's so even though I ran the track faster than most boys, I couldn't join the team. Yup, another regret to rack up. As the daily torture got worse, I wanted to be in class less. I was glad to go to the classes I loved but would happily skip others to leave early and see Alpha while we were together.

By the end of my 10th grade year I was a mess. I had great grades but my attendance was poor. I flunked a few classes and was invited not to return the following year. But there was hope...

A school only blocks away from home and not only did my best friend go there, but I was going to school with the principals kids in Newton. Score!!@

It was the beat place ever. I flourished! Trig - killed it! African American studies - I'm friends with my prof to this day!! Language, history, science, everything I was on top of the world and there was a great spot across the street for the best coffee and bagels in town. It was heavenly. A group of us were rebels. Spent lunch time out and about dining on Newbury and Boylston. Ha! So we got back late (service sucks at lunch!) And were handed down a sentence of lunch detention...well...I never!

So the first (and only) day of our detention my friend and I cooked a 4 course gourmet meal which we brought to school along with china and crystal stemware...the photo ended up in the yearbook. We never stayed late or were held for lunch again.

But all the dinner parties, colossal coffee drinks and excellent instruction came to a halt when the principal was transferred to a school that was in need if better leadership. The new principal came in, took one look at the number of credits I had (Newton has a lower credit system than Boston to urge students to do more work in order to graduate) and kicked me out mid-year. I thought it was fixed with a call from the former school principal and my Newton principal but she would not be swayed and I was escorted off school property.

Fine...whateva...I'll go to another school. It was a work-study and I only had to attend from 7:45-12:00 daily so long as I maintained employment. Fine by me. I worked at salons and was a model so its all gravy. What I didn't know was that my body had other plans.