Sunday, June 13, 2010

The Dot Club

It was in Grade 1 of elementary school when I became a member of the "Dot Club".

There were about six or eight of us - I can't really remember - that were set apart from the rest of the class.  At the time, I had no concept of what a 'browner' was or what 'remedial' meant, all I knew is that we were given different tasks and studies than those given to the remaining students in the class.  A few years later I would learn the meanings of 'browner' and 'remedial' and that I was one of the former.

Our group would become decidedly mischievous since we were left to do our own work without much supervision from the teacher.  This is not to say the rest of the class was of the remedial type and needed special attention, but that the teacher trusted us enough to work on our own.

Too trusting, indeed.

Our desks were situated in the back corner of the classroom.  We would talk quietly amongst ourselves and help each other with assignments.  When this got boring, which was more often than not, we would scribble on the desks, make up stupid words, fling tiny bits of paper across the room when teacher wasn't looking, or tried to hit one of the other kids in the back of the head with the tiny paper projectiles, and other silly stuff.  We were too young to know about spitballs then.

Then there was Steven.  Steven sat next to me all the time.  He was generally shy and I would have to goad him into having a bit of fun.  During the bore sessions, I would occasionally poke him with the eraser end of my pencil and, in kind, he would poke me back.  One day I caught him off-guard and jabbed him in the ribs which made him jump up and disrupt the rest of the class.  The teacher looked at him scornfully.  He apologized and sat back down.  In retribution, he jabbed me back.  Hard.  With the newly sharpened end of his pencil.  In the left cheek.  Of my ass.

Needless to say, we were both ejected from the classroom, but we laughed all the way to the Principal's office.

The graphite "dot" from the jabbing remains visible to this day.


Yeeeowch!


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42 comments:

  1. He made his mark I'll say. Great memory of classroom shenanigans!

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  2. Goddess: Those were the days. It's funny, every time I see a pencil, it reminds me of that day.

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  3. Nice read. There was never a better jab than a poke from a (newly sharpened) pencil!

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  4. Fun read- I have a similar mark of a pencil in my left thinb- but not quite the great story you have!
    Cheers to you!

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  5. Ouch! You should have turned the other cheek!

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  6. Lena: Heh heh. I' would have preferred a verbal jab at the time.
    ;-)

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  7. kathe: There must be a story to it (or you could use it in one!)
    Thanks. ;-)

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  8. dufus: Kindly turn your other cheek this way, my friend ;-)
    *sharpens new pencil*

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  9. now thaz a good story... i had to laugh outloud... thanks for sharing

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  10. That's funny.

    Oh, sorry. Your poor butt. ;-)

    I got bit by a mosquito on my butt cheek and it left a scar.

    Ew.

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  11. Ouch. That must have been a pain in the butt. Great story. :)

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  12. one more believer: I'm always happy to make anyone smile!

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  13. Reffie: OMG! A scar?? The mossies must be huge down there!! Mind you, everything in Texas is BIG!
    (note to self: don't visit Texas.)

    ;-)

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  14. Leeuna: Thanks! It was a pain in the butt, but not such a painful memory. Oh, to be a kid again - I wouldn't have changed a thing.

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  15. Tumbles: Heh heh. In 'hind'-sight, it was a hoot.
    ;-)

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  16. What we all got up to when the teacher's back was turned. Good read.

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  17. Sue: Heh heh - yep, it's all good until you get caught! Thanks.

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  18. How appropriate, the graphite dot for a member of the Dot Club!

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  19. willow: It's a reminder of a slightly painful and funny memory.
    ;-)

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  20. What no photo? Are you ashamed of your dotted ass? Is this keeping you from having a significant relationship? If so, I just feel awful for you, having to live with this embarrassment for so many years. No wonder you moved to an island. The fewer people who know, the better. I'm going to say a prayer for you at Mass, that one day you'll be able to have friends again despite your deformity.

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  21. BonyMike: What? I have no friends?? Nobody told me. ;-( Sheesh, some non-friends you are!

    The truth is that my butt is almost as bony as yours after losing 10 more pounds of the weight I gained when I was ill last year and I can't gain it back. I don't think anyone would want to see that.

    Besides, I wouldn't want to be responsible for starting a 'mooning' trend in blogsville.

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  22. I guess you'll always be able to be identified! Very good fun!!

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  23. Lyn: Heh heh - I would hope that isn't the only thing by which I could be identified.
    ;-)

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  24. Love the story. And good to know you've still got a souvenir so that you'll never forget!

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  25. yikes! funny story...got the point! smiles. had a kid in the 3rd grade get a freshly sharpened pencil stuck through his had...running...nice magpie!

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  26. Jennifer: Thanks. The dot has faded over the years, butt it's still there.

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  27. Hey Brian: Not sure if you meant "hand" or "head" - either way, no one should run with sharp objects! (Hope she or he was o.k.). Thanks!

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  28. Sharp Magpie with a very visual point!

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  29. If that was not a true story, you would have been stabbed by the whole coronation cup of sharp pencils resulting in a uniquely framed work of art!

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  30. Stafford: Heh heh. I wouldn't want risk that pain! Butt, yes it's true. ;-)

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  31. Very nice; I could totally see the two of them dueling it out with their pencils. Really had me laughing at the end! Great Magpie!

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  32. Patience: Dueling is all well and good until someone gets hurt, in my case, jabbed. Thanks ;-)

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  33. What a fun Magpie! And how wonderful to be transported back in time ~ to a simple and grand time.

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  34. Helen: Yes! Most of my 'inspirations', as it were, do come from old memories - I try to pick out the more humourous ones. It was fun to write about it!

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  35. Hey RA: Heh heh - a little painfull at the time, but thanks!

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  36. You've looked? You contortionist, you.

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  37. Alice: Ha ha - yep, well it's kinda more to one side. ;-)

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  38. Jingle: I think it was Steven who was trying to get "fresh". Thanks.

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