Lasting Impressions
Junior High did not make many lasting impressions on me. I do not remember very much from those days, and regard them as an unfortunate waste of youth. However, there is one exchange I had across the table in shop class, with a fellow named R.G. Sheldon, that changed my life.
I don't remember much about R.G. I doubt anyone does. He was the kind of person that you could be oblivious to, and not worry about offending him. He was a loner, and seemed to like it that way. He was smart, and preferred not to show it. I imagine he knew he was smart, and that was good enough for him, without all the complications that arise from letting your peers and teachers know how smart you are.
If anonymity was his goal, then he made a grievous error the day he spoke to me. That phrase has haunted my thoughts ever since the day I first heard it. I have even caught myself repeating it out loud in conversation once or twice, to my own chagrin. I would forget it if I could, but I fear I will never be able to. It is kind of funny, after all.
I remember walking into shop class, and sitting down across the table from R.G. His red hair was freshly trimmed in the Chili Bowl style. I said, "Hey R.G., did you get a haircut?"
R.G. replied, "No, I got them all cut."
It took me a minute to comprehend his wit, and then I had to laugh. It was such a clever response to a mundane question, and such an awful play on words.
At the time, I did not realize the effect it had on me. Now, over 12 years later, I cannot get it out of my head. Every time I get a haircut, every time someone asks me if I got a haircut, every time someone else gets a haircut, I hear "No, I got them all cut." echo through my mind.
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wishus
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