Popularity

When I was in grammar school, that would be grades 1-8 these days -- we had no middle school, I was popular.  I loved being popular.  It all came crashing down around me when I got to high school.

When I was under 14 I was popular because my father was one of three town pastors.  Everybody knew me, and I hope, liked me.  I tried not to put on "airs", but I probably didn't always succeed.  I was hindered in my popularity by two small things:  a father who didn't like to have children running around the house, and this included neighbor children; and a household that had very little money, which meant no birthday parties.  And, to get invited to a birthday party you had to invite to a birthday party.

When I was over 14  in high school I really didn't have time in my freshman year to try to become popular.  The only talent I had was playing the piano or violin, and there were other freshman who could play the piano better than I, and worst of all I had to actually study to get As and Bs.  In grammar school it came to me naturally. 

My after-school time in high school was spent on homework so getting together with classmates was out of the question.  Even on Sunday afternoons I had to do homework and/or study.  Telephone time dwinddled to a mere trickle.

Bye-bye popularity.  Hard pill to swallow without choking.  Since I'm still alive, I obviously didn't choke, and swallowed the pill.

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