Confessions of a past School Captain....

[LifeMasque]

For amusement only. Nothing Nasty

Captain of School

When I was in the sixth grade – the last of primary school down here – there were elections for school captain. It was by popular vote amongst 5th and 6th grades only. Boys voted for the boys, girls for the girls. Someone must have nominated me for captain, probably my desk buddy, J M, but I never asked. It was an attractive notion but I was not “popular” really. The prospect of getting some real, enforcable RESPECT began to obsess me, but I thought I had no chance. The front runner was D E, the Alpha Male of the class who had all but me and a few other 6th grade boys in his entourage.

But then a strange, rather devious plan occurred to me. D E was a free spirit. And he was a kind of Enlightened Bully who only really preyed on Other Bullies.- Merciless with those who picked on the LITTLE folk. A “Head Hunter” like that Celebrated Criminal Son of Melbourne, Chopper Reed. (Chop Chop was NOT a bully at school, he was Bullied, and made it his life's work to repay the bullies of society.) I went to him, and convinced him that the whole school captain thing would cramp his style. Having to set a good example all the time. Having to enter all school sporting events and activities. Having to greet visitors to the school, having to make a speech at assembly every second week (alternating with the girls' captain). I convinced him the whole thing would be a total albatross necklace to him. And, you know, to throw his voting block behind me for pointing out this pitfall to him in the nick of time....

It worked. The plan was conceived in a moment of clarity, and executed in 2 or 3 minutes. I did NO Campaigning or Canvasing for votes, Way too shy to ASK people to do ANYTHING for me (Baggage... I was not WORTHY of any Help from Others. Been There, Gang? )

I hadn't even READ Machiavelli at that age. I was delighted (about everything except giving the speeches to the whole school, I nearly crapped myself in the lead up to those – shyness about public speaking). My parents were delighted, which delighted me. I got to wear The Badge of Office for a whole year, and I still have it somewhere. I had the power to send other kids to the principal's office to get flogged. Which I never used once all year.

I think it was desperation to get a little respect that spurred on this deviousness. I think D E was amused by Jesus tempting the Devil. D E sought ME out and sat next to me at a 25th High School reunion and we had a great old time talking about it, and other shared memories. He had the cushiest of jobs. HE was a captain now, of a tug boat. He worked 6 months a year (on call 24/7), and had six months off.

I was the James Carville of the school. I should have gone into politics. But I had SOME ethics....

“If you Can't be CAPTAIN, Don't Play!” - Joseph P Kennedy Sr
(Fascist A**hole, and father of Joe Jr, John F, Bobby and Teddy Kennedy)

[LifeMasque]

For your Further Entertainment.. while it is so Quiet here!

I Actually got This one Published in Reader's Digest - its the Sort of Stuff They DO.....
--
Goodbye, MY Gheppetto...


I got the gift of Dad's last lucid day.

He had been dropping his pencils and things, and there were like 4 or 5 nurses for his whole floor and he didn't like bothering them. (He was Writing still but, Odd, Jumbled Up, Morphine Induced things..) So I got him one of those claw things that janitors and park keepers use to pick up litter. I rang him up and told him I'd found one, and that I'd bring it tomorrow when we came to visit him. He said "Oh, couldn't you bring it today? I feel like a chat.” So I went, of course. He was wide awake and alert.

I couldn't find a nurse to help me get him into a wheel chair, but he was in this big surgical arm chair with this special bubble-gel cushion to prevent sores. It was on casters, so I just wheeled THAT out of his room. We went all up and down the corridors, and he was waving at the other patients, and they waved back and he was smiling.

There was no-one on duty at the front desk, so I wheeled him straight out the front doors (which was probably against OS&H) and out into the sunshine and fresh air, and we talked for a while. Finally, he said "I feel tired now" so I wheeled him back in, gave him a kiss and said goodbye.

When we all came to see him the next day, we could barely wake him up for five minutes, and he wasn't really all there. He died two days later, Without regaining consciousness. I got the final glory of the candle before it burnt low, and guttered out.

I am SOOOOOOOOOOO glad I went. It would have been SO awful if he'd spent his last lucid hours staring at a hospital wall, alone. That would have been Frightful... Instead he had me for company.

It should have been my Mother's gift, but it fell to me, who loved him almost as much in my own way. I always told myself I was his favourite. Being a musician, a Writer like him, being practical minded, having a good sense of humour. But then I always wanted to be as much like him as I could because I admired him so much, from as far back as I remember.

[Paper]

LifeMasque, I’m glad you were able to get some respect for yourself in sixth grade and I think it’s quite clever how you managed it. It was kind of you not to send any other kids to the office, too. I like the completion of the circle with him being a tugboat captain and that you both spoke at the reunion. It doesn’t sound like he was upset about it, and you got to feel the respect of your own time as captain at school.

The story about your time with your father before his death is touching and powerful. What an image, you taking off with him in that chair, right on out the door. You brought him joy. Thank you for sharing these.

[Scars]

LifeMasque,
thank you for sharing these stories. Both stories told me about your heart, who you really are, and helped me connect with you even more.
I need honest connection.
scars

[LifeMasque]

Thank you, Paper & Scars.

I gave myself NO Credit that I had been rather Clever (or at least Cunning) in Wangling the Captaincy for myself.. out of a rather Desperate Need... No, I think D E was AMUSED right back when we were both 11 years old.. He didn't just withdraw, he DID put all his gang behind me in the vote... Perhaps he knew on some level that I NEEDED the Kudos more than he did, he already HAD respect from his Posse, from ME, and from every Smaller kid he ever saved from a Bullying or Bashing...

Some kids can be AMAZINGLY perceptive and Empathic & Kind at a young age, Like my P R who, at age 5, saved me from misery and loneliness on my First day at school, and offered me his Priceless FRIENDSHIP...

I had a Survivor Friend in the USA many years ago. She still suffered chronic Pain from old injuries from HER abuse... Once her child's family and Grandchildren were visiting, which delighted her, but she had to excuse herself for a while and go lay down while the pain was bad... Her little Grandson G, aged 5, crept into her room, and snuggled up beside her and put an arm around her, and just laid there quietly with her for about half an Hour. That's a LONG time for a 5 year old to keep Still and Quiet.... What a Sweet little boy.... She said it was better than Morphine....