FourFifSixTH Grades All Blend

	From the symbol of Mars (U+2642 ♂). The symbol for a male organism or man.
	From the symbol of Venus (U+2640 ♀). The symbol for a female organism or woman.

Who could be expected to be able to separate the preteen years, especially after 50 years?

I believe that with  the  arrival of  hormones nothing would be clear, ever again.

Time to learn about being a woman, so  “the movie” is shown to the girls. The teachers and nurse blacked out the windows to the gym, so the boys couldn’t peak in. We were given a book, probably called “Your Body”. The book was in a plain brown wrapper. We were given specific instructions to take it home and read it. I put mine in my underwear drawer( underneath naturally) and would occasionally take it out( discreetly of course) so that I might understand my body better. I’m 60, have had 4 children and my body continues to be a mystery to me.

Marlene O. was the first of us to get their “friend” . She would bring her pads, wrapped in wax paper.We would  all gather in the bathroom when she had to change her pad. She showed the belt( gross) ,and explained to us how she was feeling. She really knew about life..we all wanted to be like her. I am pretty sure she was the first to wear a bra too.

My first slumber party was at Sharon Contro( Leighton). They had the coolest basement ever.She even had her bedroom in the basement. Sharon was so “neat”.We listened to The Four Seasons, Dawn and Big Girls Don’t Cry for hours. Prior to the party my Mom decided I needed a bra. Most of the girls were already wearing them, and I am sure Mom didn’t want me to be left out. The size was 28 AAA, almost indented it was so flat! I was mortified, I did not want to wear that thing. So that  night after I got my PJs my enemies friends took my bra and hung it from the rafters .My Mom’s good intentions kind of backfired… I didn’t wear that thing for a long time after that.

Cheryl C. seemed to know about sex. She told us, that her Mom told her you go the doctor , he has a machine with a middle finger and that’s how you get pregnant. As if I needed another reason to be freaked out to go to the doctor.

Raging hormones were all around us. Two girls( Linda W and Beverly C)  were madly in love with Dr. Kildare and Dr. Ben Casey. They had so many magazines and pictures. They brought them to school everyday. Recess was a Lovefest for them with drooling over the stories and photos. One of the boys( Gerald N)decided to play a trick on them and stole their treasures. He held them for Ransom! A Playboy magazine would have to be handed over before he would return the valuable property. I don’t know why someone who was allegedly an adult would sell the contraband material to 11 year old girls but they did. The desks we had were a perfect place to have a peep show for the class. He opened to the centerfold, placed it discreetly( when you’re in fifth grade you still haven’t figured out what is discreet). Soon most of the kids were congregating around his desk and giggling. Mrs. Johnson caught on and the magazine was taken to the principal. Our class was across from her office, and the girls bathroom was next to her office. Right about then I had to go to the bathroom and I remember our teacher, the secretary and the principal were all in the office laughing. Our teacher came back to the class looking very stern. Then we got the talk. She told us the body is beautiful but private. She also told us if we wanted to see naked bodies, we should go home and ask our parents to show us theirs. Wow..How out there was that? I  was certain I would never do that, and I am almost certain that no one in that class took her advice either.

I left elementary school thinking I never needed to know anything else about sex. But, guess what… I was wrong..LOL