Day Twenty: A childhood anecdote.

The best "childhood anecdote" I can think of happened when I was 13. It was the craziest, most embarrassing and probably most romantic thing that ever happened to me.

It was 7th grade at Cassopolis High. There was a boy. Let's call him...Jack. (I really hope someone reads this that remembers this. And I hope you laugh.) Apparently Jack had been in love with me since 5th grade. I walked into my homeroom one day to find a huge love letter on my desk from Jack. I wish I kept it, I wish I remembered it all, but I only remember one part:

"I can explain the eating habits of a rock wallaby but I can't explain the feeling I get around you."

Romantic.

Nerdy.

Awesome.

It was the sweetest, weirdest thing I'd ever heard. It ended with him asking me to "go out". How could I refuse? No seriously, how could I have refused? I really don't know. So I said yes. And we had the most awkward, sweet 2 day relationship of my life. He brought me chocolates. He hovered by my lunch table. He wrote me notes. We never talked in real life.

It ended with a note on his desk. Not my classiest move, but at this point I was 12! (A baby. I can't even believe it.)

This is where the story gets good.

I apparently devastated him. The only heart I've ever broken. And he seeked advice from one of my friends. Which was "You must do something drastic to win her back!" (We watched way to much TV)

So the next day at school,

which was my 13th birthday;

Jack came to school with a sandwich board sign that read:

"I love Amber Thomas with all my heart"

Which he wore most of the day. And put up on his music stand in band so the whole room could see. And finally, a teacher made him take it off.

This was supposed to be romantic. But I was mortified. Jr.Highers where in the same building as the High Schoolers, and they kept walking by me saying "You're the girl in the sign!". Ugh.

These romantic gestures continued.

One day he got in a fight with some guy who was "messin" with me. I don't remember the details, but I remember he got In School Suspension, because I was surprised to see him sitting in my home room the next day.

With a tape recorder.

And a microphone.

And the whole 7th grade.

I ran away before he could start singing.

Looking back at this whole event, I should have been flattered. I should have seen the romantics in it.

But I was 13. And self conscious. And the last thing in the world I wanted was for the whole school to look at me.

It makes me laugh today. The picture of sweet Jack in his sign, or sitting there ready to sing his heart out.

We are crazy as kids.