Who & what did you love when you were 14? This applies to many things for males, including girls and music. Supposedly, it tends to be a time in your life that molds you, with people and things which you somehow never forget. Try to remember and apply to your current life.

This brief period of life happened to coincide for me, with being placed into what felt like an alien world, for an equally brief year.

I could see that most of the other kids around me already knew how it all worked: their roles, their statuses, and genuinely for some already, even their purposes, sometimes honest and genuine, sometimes definitely not.

The odd part about these kids, compared the ones I was formerly accustomed to, was that nearly all of them believed that they had the power to affect the world. Mind you, their prefered directions for "affecting" the world were not all the same. In some cases, they were diametrically opposed. It was truly so fascinating to early teen me, that this world was able to to create such people. I never forgot that, despite the fact that a percentage of them were clearly benefitting, yet going against the direction of the school's purpose and goals.

For instance, I was equally impressed by a beautiful yet humble girl, who ALWAYS made a point to say "Hi, Eeyore" to me, me being a kid almost nobody knew at that school, just as I was also impressed with a straight-A student metal rocker who was considered very cool and still kind to every other student, yet adamently refused to cut his long hair, and was (shockingly, to me at the time) kicked out of the school for that, to the guy with the bum leg who had trouble climbing stairs due to no elevators, but he was always and consistently super-happy just to experience life and to interact with one specific funny and highly gifted instructor who likely has a wikipedia page, not that he'd want one.

Then there were my lunchroom nerd-buds who graciously took me into their fold and gave me all their observant inside-scoops about the school, without which, I never would have survived until June. They truly fed me the info I needed just for my survival, and I will never forget their help.

Whew... then there were the girls. THE girls.

I was liking younger girls by this time, but there were also fellow freshmen:

In my case they were as follows:

Jodi. The free-spirited blond who was always unintentionally and just naturally flipping her hair, and in a natural confidence, didn't really seem to care about anything. She was kind and had hippy friendship bracelets in the early 80's, meaning she was definitely hippy-girl-ish. Eeyore suffered many a nether-region road-rash due to Jodi's unimpeded nature and look, long after our last encounter.

Michelle. Oh my goodness. The girl I now know was meant for me at that particular time. She was SOO incredibly sweet, short and youthful for her age, long hair with a turned-up nose and freckled pixie face. So beautifully innocent. Her parents were loaded I heard, but that part never figured in to my utter adoration for her. Sooo genuine and sweet. 14-year-old Eeyore was more like to cry than bate for that girl. I still look back and wish.

Colleen #1- My mystery girl. She was VERY Italian, very tan with dark forearm hair (I dunno why I remember that), but with an Irish last name. Colleen was the unintentional QUEEN of feminine class. She had more than looks. She had intellect and something of strong open dignity while acknowledging you/me. That girl went on to an elite college. I still remember her genuine soft smile. Another who got away due to my clueless youth.

Colleen #2- Daughter of a local hoteliere. I suspect my relatives put the word out to some certain parents for her to make nice to me, but her eyes... those eyes were so gentle and sweet. She was so naturally gentile, mildly attractactive, easily approachable.

Yet another girl who intrigued me.

Please forgive me, GC, should I ever mention "pretty colleens" in the month of March.