Come to think of it though, my earliest bad memory had actually been years before, when my kindergarten teacher yelled at me for sliding down the slide backwards. That was the first time I was publicly humiliated that I can remember. I was in public school at Daniel Webster when it happened. Daniel Webster isn't there anymore, and neither is the old Logansport High School between 13th. & 14th. and Broadway & Market. My class was the last to graduate from that building in 1973. I think I probably disturbed a lot of people in that building too. Maybe that's why they decided to tear the building down. "That Helvey kid has just disturbed too many people in this place. Get out the bulldozer." I was never a bad person I don't think, I just had misdirected energy problems sometimes. Honest to God, I don't think I ever got over that feeling of being humiliated. "Why are you disturbing the other children?" my mother inquired sternly. "I didn't know I was," I weakly replied. They say "ignorance is bliss." I'm in no mood to be blissful if that's the case. Funny how little incidents such as these can change the course of your life. I tried my hardest not to disturb my fellow classmates from that point on. I really tried to keep my mouth shut. I guess my flaw is a basic inability not to say what I think. Popular concept or not, sometimes we have to be unpopular to speak what we believe to be the truth. "A pillar of salt? Come on, nobody could do that. I don't believe it." Sister Mary Ellen glared at me from behind her horn-rimmed glasses. I could almost feel the ruler whacking my hand even before the words had completely departed from my lips. I have known all along, of course, that I will never stop trying to speak the truth. Call is a character flaw, call it the luck of the draw. It all depends on your perspective. I feel pretty lucky myself. Computer Stuff | Downtown Carrboro Map | Events | Prices | Restaurants | UniqueOrn Enterprises 
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