Chapter 3: The accident

 Valentine's Day, 1992, I was so excited. There was a show that my class had put together for the whole school about traditional music, with traditional dresses. My aunt had made me a traditional outfit that I was carrying in a plastic bag to change into later that evening. 

     I was running late for school that day, therefore I was walking alone. I was in 3rd grade, and the school was about 5 blocks from my house. I've always been very careful crossing the street. However, even after looking both ways while I was crossing the street, I was almost to the curb when a car hit me. I remember my lunch box flying into the air, my book back hitting my back, me falling on my butt, and being in shock. People came rushing out of the car, a very nice man and lady. I think they were more scared than I was. The next thing I remember is being in the hospital, getting X-rays and being evaluated. I can recall the doctor telling grandpa, I was fine, but I might develop lower back problems in the future. They couldn’t have been more right.  

     However, I was so excited I wanted to go to school and make it to my performance. They insisted for me to go home and rest, but I remember crying and getting my way. I went and performed on stage with the rest of the class. Everyone was concerned about me being okay. I still think my heavy book bag saved my life. 

     That evening I can recall the couple bringing me flowers and praying for my well being. I wonder if they still remember me. I cannot remember their faces or their names, but I do remember being young and scared. That moment brought to life one of my biggest fears that I have today. 

     I would probably die if I hit a child or hurt a child badly with my car. It's like a total phobia I have. I came close one time, and I didn’t want to drive for a week. When I see kids playing in the street or in their yards I slow down. People probably think that I am a creep watching their kids. LoL. 

     When I see small children walking on busy streets unsupervised, I get angry. When parents are busy on their cell phones, not paying attention to their kids when they are close to the street, it bothers me so much. One day I even rolled down my window and screamed at a lady to get off her cell phone and hold her child's hand. 

     Its things that happens to us, and experiences that mold who we are today.

Chapter 2: The beggining of my school life.

In first grade I had a wonderful , very strict teacher. I will leave her name out, lets call her Mrs. R. Mrs. R, made us dress in all white from head to toes every Friday. If we got dirty we would get in really bad trouble,  and she would talk to our parents, and  then we would get disciplined. Basically, now that I am an adult, I can see why she did that. She was trying to show us discipline.
She had a very mean face, but at the same time she was very caring. Like you can come and talk to her about anything.  When she laugh or smile it was very rare but it was a sight for sore eyes. She had a twin sister that she taught 5th grade.

At this time in my life, I also developed a crush. For me this was the cutest and smartest guy in the class, he was chunky,  so was I but, his mom liked me. We talk every day and I sat behind him. Do you remember how boys used to pull girls hairs when they liked them, instead, it was me bothering him. I used to write on his shirts with pencil, until one day his mom called me out on it.

I can't remember what grade I was but, I also had a friend died. She was crossing the street and a car hit her. That was a very emotional time for all of us. We all cried for weeks. All of us in first grade were very independent. We all either walked home alone or in groups. It was rare if parents picked a child up.

Our first grade class was the best in the school. We were divided by "smarts" So if we have very good grades we were in the same classroom, so they can teach us at the same pace. The kids I was in first grade with, we mostly went thought all grade school together. Most of us took a test in 6th grade to go to special school that specialized in Math and Science.

In school we wore uniforms. Guys wore a blue shirt and khaki pants, girls wore a plaid skirt and a blue shirt. All our shirt had to be tucked in, and everything was to be ironed. The girl's skirts had to go right under the knee. But there were some of us, that would not agree with that. Some girls would roll up their skirt, and tuck their shirt out. I wanted to be cool and some of my cousins did it, so I did it a few times. However, my aunt worked in the school, so I got caught many times. Needless to say, I was stuck being the goody, nerdy, kid all the time. I guess looking back on it, it wasn't so bad, although my aunt sew my uniforms and she made then extra long. But it could of been worst, there were girls that the skirts went almost to their ankles.

I thought about making all this chapters as a book, but, I just want to entertain and share some of my crazy life with someone out there that might relate.

Chapter 1: My funny Head-start Story

I was born in February 1983 in the island US territory of Puerto Rico. Since early age pretty much many of us are self sufficient. Today I see kids in pre-k being escorted by their parents to school, I even have done that to mine (I've been terrified they will get lost, taken or hurt). When I was in head-start, not even pre-K, I walked alone to school, I only had to cross two streets about  7 houses down from my home then about a block to the left. I wore blue pants that were husky boy size, because I was a big kid and a red polo shirt. Sometimes, I waited for other parents to walk by the front of the house and I would walk with them. I was a sweet kid according to my teachers. I've always been very smart (supposedly). But the things I went on "pre-school" were somewhat embarrassing and I guess life scaring because I remember them well.  First thing I remember is the first time I tasted liver for lunch. Who serves liver to a 4 year old? Anyways, this was Carolina, Puerto Rico, So i guess things were different back on the days in the late 80's and in an island. I remember one day I got so sick, and I literally poop and puked at the same time. My teacher which I remember her face but not her name was so sweet, she helped me and cleaned me up. Gave me some clothes that barely fit me, because I was the fattest kid in class. Graduation day, I remember they asked me to say my name, I said : My name is "Carmen Rosa Medina Bulerin Flores Pizarro Millan" I was raised by a family member that had different last names than me, and I included their last names and my parents second last names on the introduction. Everyone laugh at me. It is hilarius now, but that day, I cried, because everyone laugh at me and I was embarrassed. I did not understood that my only last names were my parents, even tho they weren't raising me or present. I barely remember head-start. But these my high light of my time there. Stay tune for chapter two.