This photo makes me look like a mad scientist. I'm grooving on it for the nostalgia feels.
Many, many moons ago, when my body was less fucked up than now, my parents upped sticks and left California. I enjoyed the adventure but I didn't know any of the kids in my new high school. I was withdrawn due to being shy, but stood out because I was a punk with a leather motorcycle jacket and an almost bald head.
I froze my ass off that first year - none of my thrifts store wardrobe was designed for cold climates. My saving grace was a pair of black gloves belonging to my mother. I had to squeeze my hands into them and they were a bitch to take off, so I wore them all day, even in class.
The mad scientist bit came one snowy afternoon in chemistry. We had white (mostly stained) lab coats. For real. This entire school felt like a throw-back to the fvcking 60s. I took off my jacket and put on the damn coat. Someone laughed. People turned. There I stood, wearing the lab coat over denim jeans. They were pretty torn up. My plaid long johns showed through. (That was intentional.) Do or die moment. Do I mumble a few words before sitting down? Do lift my head and give a flippant response. Both were appetizing.
I shrugged and picked up the safety goggles with a black gloved hand. I can't remember my exact words. It was likely a quip, like "Good henchmen are so hard to find" or "Igor called in sick". I remember remaining neutral. Total meh moment.
Fate sealed.
From that point onward, I was okay. I wasn't the most popular or coolest kid in the school. I didn't have a flock of wannabe friends or guys hoping to date me.. But I wasn't ostracized as much. I was half nerd and half mentally ill. That was something I was more than happy to live with.
It's almost Halloween! You know what that means! I'm behind on my Christmas in the Woods composition. It's a graphics issue, mainly trying to find the best solution for photograph storage.
At least my actual Halloween post is scheduled to drop soon.
