My First Memory

My first memory is my first day of Kindergarten.

I was really excited to start elementary school, but I was also terrified of going somewhere where I've never been before. Unlike now, I didn't have a problem waking up in the morning. I remember packing my backpack and going over and over with my mom all the things I needed and if I had them all. I remember that it was one of the longest mornings of my life, and I just could not wait to get in my mom's car and drive to my new school: Fayetteville-Elementary School.

I've been in the building before, but my memories of those times aren't as strong. I was there whenever my older brother Joe had a concert or any school event going on. I also had to go there so my parents could have a meeting with the principal and a few of the teachers about me taking special speech classes during the day. I went with my parents to that meeting, but back then I had no clue what was going on. All I remember of that day is sitting in an office chair at a big long table in a room with blue walls just staring at a bowl of chocolate chip cookies until the principal lady offered me one.

As I got out of my mom's car, she told me to go through the doors straight ahead and go sit in the cafeteria. And that's what I did. Although I was a little shocked by all the kids already in there. I sat down at a table with the fewest of kids and who seemed my age or pretty close to my age near the front of the cafeteria. This one girl introduced herself to me, although I forgot her name a minute later. I've never been good with names. I don't really remember what we talked about, but eventually the bell rang. There was a lady at the front of the cafeteria that called out grades, starting with 4th grade. Then all the 4th graders left. Then she called out 3rd grade, then all the 3rd graders left, and so on. Last but not least, she called out Kindergarten, and all the Kindergarteners gathered their backpacks and lunch boxes and walked away.

Except I didn't...