In the second grade I won a Halloween contest for the best costume. I had a big paper machee head painted to be Humtpy Dumpty. But most of the other contests at school had to do with art or writing.
I was okay at art but not the best. As a first grader I was still drawing stick figures while the girl next to me was completing a beautiful sketch of Mary and Baby Jesus. I didn’t mind it that I never won any art contests. I knew my limitations. But I considered myself a good writer. Still, I never won anything. Once we had to write an essay on America. I worked hard on mine. I carefully chronicled all the wars that America had been involved with. It was a very patriotic piece, but it didn’t win the contest.
Another time, we were supposed to write a Christmas poem. The best poem from each class was going to be printed in the newspaper. After we had written them, our teacher had us stand and read our poems.
I thought mine was rather profound, but when I stood and started reading, my teacher cut me off. She said, “Quit trying to be silly.”
The class laughed and I went back to my seat, deeply hurt. She just didn’t understand. I have always had that problem. At times when I try to be gravely serious, other people think I am being funny.
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