I took Fruit Bat and Kitty Cat to the community pool in my hometown (where we're staying for two weeks). The pool is new since I lived here, but it's connected to my old high school.
After swimming and splashing around for a while, we went in the locker room to change.
I didn't really expect to see anything familiar. The whole structure, I thought, was original.
I was startled to recognize these:
So many unhappy teenage hours spent here. (Back then, I wouldn't have been surprised to find fire or poisonous gas shooting out of these spouts).
The same showers we used for PE. The same basic locker room footprint and the dreaded door to my PE teacher's office. The office where her favorites would congregate after class.
Needless to say, I was not a favorite. I hated PE. I wrung my hands over it. I worried about my lack of coordination. I hated getting slapped in the gut with a rubber ball thrown hard by a particular brutish girl. I detested that my teacher couldn't do most of the ridiculous physical tasks she set us to.
I hated it and I vowed that if a PE teacher ever concocted cruel games or forced my children to twist their bodies into shapes (while the entire ninth grade watched) that humiliated them, I would step in.
I'm going to keep my word.
UGH! Sounds like boot camp. I hated my ninth grade PE, too. Ninth grade was my very hardest year.
Posted by: M | July 03, 2009 at 05:23 AM
Apparently no one showers in junior high or high school anymore (or so my boys tell me... and they would definitely be freaked out over communal showers like that) but I am SO with you. I, too, had thoughts of being gassed, when I wasn't totally embarrassed to be naked in front of the popular, good-looking girls. Such social torture we endured!
Posted by: kcinnova | July 03, 2009 at 03:54 PM
Serious torture, those showers. I remember junior high when we were forced to be naked or else failed PE. I was developed way before everyone else, so it was very humiliating. Luckily I liked PE and sports, but the thought of showering and the teachers standing in the doorway of the shower with their checklists....that was just torture.
Nice pics, though. It's good that you can go back there without therapy. :)
Posted by: Leslie | July 05, 2009 at 10:53 AM
Poisenous gas!! I'm sure mine did.. especially the JR. high ones ACK!!
Posted by: Carissa | July 05, 2009 at 06:48 PM
Oh my gosh,,, I hated PE too. I got the idea to type fake notes from my mother excusing me (brilliant, I know). Of course I got caught and mom said I couldn't be a girl scout anymore since I was soooo dishonest.
Posted by: Vicky | July 06, 2009 at 11:34 AM