Diary of a 10-year-old Drama Queen

Bub and Pie’s recent post inspired me to dig out my old diary. I found this entry, written by a ten-year-old budding romance novelist. Here is an exact copy, including spelling and punctuation errors.

June 30, 1983

Today is the last day of school, I wrote. I will miss my friends but most of all I will miss David:

I said goodbye to all my girlfriends then I turned to David, “Bye” I said “I’ll see ya next year.” I knew I’d miss him but I had to hurry or I’d miss my bus. As I started to leave he said to me, “I’ll wave to you on the bus.” I said Okay and bye, Then he turned to me and said bye. I truged to the bus with my heavey bags and when I rounded the corner of the school who did I see? None other than David! I started towards the bus and David started walking toward me with a bag in his hand. He handed me the bag and said “don’t open it ‘till your on the bus”. “Okay” I said and we said goodbye once more. As I started up the bus he shouted “don’t forget to wave”. “I won’t” I yelled. I started down the aisle feeling lonely already and plopped down in the seat. Then, the bus started. I waved at David ‘till he was out of sight, and he waved back. As the bus rumbled homeward I sat stareing out the window deep in thought. Me and David had been sitting beside eachother almost the whole second half of the school year and I’ve enjoyed every minute of it. I liked to be with David. At school we had to play baseball. I especially enjoyed this because me and David were both on the same team, and we wern’t the best players. So we always went outfield where the ball hardly ever came, and talked. It was fun! At recess we usaully hang around the tether ball and have a few games. I sometimes play my other friends like Connie, Leanna, Lillian and so on. But one day David came up to me and asked if I’d like to have him a game. “Sure” I said. It was so much fun hitting the ball around and knowing he liked me like I liked him. I remember wishing that, that moment would last forever.

“Are you all right”? Asked the girl beside me. I was brought down to earth with a thud. As I looked around I suddenly realized that I was on the bus riding home from school. “Yeah, I’m all right” I ansered. Then I remember the bag David had given me, and I quickly opened it and looked inside. They were flowers! David had given ME flowers! There were several real one and one paper one, but it was extra special because David had made it himself. They were all beautiful. “Where did you get those”? the girl beside me asked. “Oh, from a friend” I said with a smile. As we slowed down at my bus stop, I gathered up my things, I added “a good friend”. I started the long walk homeward, excited about the summer holidays but deep down I knew how much I was going to miss David.

“Done”. I shut down my diary, locked it and walked over to my calendar. I put a big X on one of the sqares. “Three more days until school” I said to myself. “It won’t be long now.”

Reading this, I’m impressed by two things: first, that at age 10 I was attempting a framed narrative; second, my handwriting was better then than it is now.

This post also reminded me that a boy hasn’t given me flowers in a while. BP? You reading?

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