Grade Eleven........Plus

Grades 11 and 12 rolled along pretty smoothly. My favorite classes were still Home Ec, and by now, I'd gone through quite a few teachers. They all had an impact on me, my god, it couldn't have been easy! We were a rare bunch. I wonder how many people out there remember/or were involved in the famous "Sit-In" on the floor of the gym. I'm not sure what we were protesting, probably prices for cigarettes in the school canteen were too high, but once Mr. Fogarty got wind of it, the "protest" was over before it started.

There we were all nestled in groups, sitting on the hard gym floor, deciding who was going to be the spokesperson, and what they'd be saying when they got on stage to address the Administration........

Somebody at the door hissed, "Here he comes!" and within seconds the gym doors swung open wide and that long legged Mr. Fogarty strode in. He made his way to the front while we all sat there like a bunch of dummies. He let out one roar..... "GET BACK TO CLASS!!!" And just like that, we scattered. Books and papers went flying, coats were grabbed and there was nothing but the slamming of the doors after us to indicate we'd even been there. The protest was over, but we lived another day. My, when I look back, how brilliant an administrator he was.

For sure I recognize cousin Charlene and my buddy Patti........

How young and carefree we all were, high school life was grand, for the most part. Things started to get a little hairy in Grade 12 when we started making appointments to get Grad pictures done, Grad rings picked out, and Universities applied to. Except some, like me, knew they weren't post secondary bound. It wasn't in my cards.

I had some good friends, and I dated several gentlemen, because most of them were, and that was back in the days where the boy had to come to your house to ask for that first all-important date. Talk about intimidating.

He had to pass inspection and put up with your younger siblings being assholes. Humiliating.

He would return on the night in question to pick you up, get drilled again by Momma, and that was a fright in itself, then agree to have you back home at the prearranged time. The boy always paid for everything on the date, never the girls, but those were the days. Am I right?

Going to a movie was just the best back in the 70's. To us, that marquee was one of the best indicators of how our week at school was going to go. The show hall owner would have the upcoming shows posted well in advance, so we knew if our parents would "allow" us to go or not, depending on the rating. Claude Richards had that show hall gleaming, and he ran a tight ship. You only had to have that famous flashlight shine in your face once, and you were quick to behave; it wouldn't be the first time that Claude hauled someone out by the collar.

Love Story.

Poseidon Adventure.

Airport '77.

Everything Clint Eastwood ever made, from High Plains Drifter to Every Which Way But Loose, we saw them all.

Margaret Doiron was usually on tickets and/or concessions, and it all seemed so exciting. Your date would proudly pay for the tickets and see if you wanted something from the concession stand, and really, who didn't! The popcorn smelled so good and was always piping hot, with just the right amount of butter drizzled on top. Nice cold pop to go with it, and on to the seats inside.

Very often couples who had been dating a long time always had their "regular" seats and the rest of us knew to avoid them, just in case they landed after the movie started.

They were pretty innocent times.

Mrs. MacDonald (or Miss Dixon as she might have been known here) was the pulse of the school, she would have known everything that went on in the building. That was her job, and I think she was pretty good at it, too.

But those times passed, and in Grade 11, at a High School dance, I met a boy who loved me for all the right reasons, and my fate was sealed. He was shy and kind and sweet and I could boss him around. Just kidding, there was no bossing, but there was a lot of respect on both sides, Momma loved him (I suppose in part because he would play cards til all hours, especially Poker) and he was willing to start our married life in the shadow of my grandmother.

Another local girl we all know.....

By the end of Grade 12, I'm sure we were all ready for it to just be over. We all knew we couldn't stay in High School forever.

I graduated, but just barely, as I posted earlier, my grandmother wasn't always well, and she would keep me home from school to look after things, which simply meant keep the fire going and make her tea and keep her company. She hated being alone. In the 70's there was no one sharing homework projects or whatever, and if a pop test was given and I missed that day, I'd barely make it just on common sense and memory alone. So although I loved school and should have excelled, I didn't.

But I had a job waiting for me as soon as I graduated, and like a lot of people my age, that was awesome. Larter's Pharmacy hired me on, along with 6 other girls who graduated in my class, so to say we had a blast that summer (1975) would be an understatement. Oh my god, the antics we were up to! I loved taking pictures, still do, and in those days not too many of us could afford such a costly habit. First off a camera, a 110 or a 35mm, which is what I learned on, but not easy. You had to buy film and flash cubes and then pay to have the film developed, all the while never knowing if you got any pictures or not. You had to wait a couple of weeks for the developed pictures to come back. The Polaroid was a bit of an improvement and no doubt was made to address that very problem. And those pictures held up, but I guess my point is, why didn't I take more pictures? When I look back, I shake my head, no proof of all the fun we had.

Lorna Gregory, Lorna Mahar, Ida MacDonald and Helen Reid are among those I can remember, what fun. Mike Murphy must have wanted to spank us, we were forever pulling pranks.

But what an education that job was. I always said that I learned more in that year than in any other job I ever had. I learned how to show up on time, do what I was told, deal with the public, and finish any task I started. The drugstore had the old fashioned crank cash register, with a sales tax guide that was hand printed and taped to the counter top. We would tap the keys (hard, I might add), subtotal the goods, run our finger down the tax guide to find the right amount, add it on and then total. Out sprang the cash drawer, and then I learned one of the greatest skills known to man........how to make change backwards for cash. No debit. No credit cards. No reward miles. No computerized cash register that does everything but make a ham sandwich. Just the Queen's good notes, printed on real paper, not the polymer plastic junk we use now. And then to close up and learn how to balance cash. I still to this day love handling cash. Truly a learned skill, one I have taught to many students over the years, in different workplaces.

I also learned humility. A certain prank that we played on an older cashier actually made me sick to my stomach because I was kind of guilty by association, but I knew better. She used to carry a stick to ward off dogs as she walked to and from work from upstreet and somehow someone thought it would be funny to hide it. The stick wasn't far away, and she was heading home for lunch but she couldn't find it, and became very agitated. She had no extra time to look, and oh, how we laughed. Except it wasn't funny, it was cruel. I earned my healthy fear of dogs later on in life, but I never forgot how shitty that moment felt, and I never agreed to anything like that again. Boy I learned a lot of life's lessons at Larters.

Like the first time I actually saw someone shoplifting and I reported it to Donnie LeBrech, most people will remember him. Most of the ladies anyway, he liked to get reeeeeeaaaallll close..

Like near closing time on a Saturday night when a very nervous young mother came in, skulking about. I asked if I could help with anything, and she stammered something. She still kind of fluttered around like a moth high on crack, but didn't seem to need my help. I was nervously watching the clock, as everyone else was gone and I was only there long enough to do the cash and lock up. I finally got to the bottom of it when she came over and whispered something, but I had to ask her again what she wanted.

"Shields" she said. And here I am, this little twit from Lower Rollo Bay, hardly 18 years old and protected all my life.

I didn't know what that was.

Jesus.

So I asked again, by this time she was indignant and I was embarrassed and nearly speechless. I was also probably late for my boyfriend, but again she squeeked out, "Shields. You know, F-R-E-N-C-H- safes."

Oooooohhhh, now I get it, I guess I knew what those were. But now we were both embarrassed, because I had to tell her those products were kept locked in the Pharmacy and that the druggist wasn't in, I was closing up, and she'd have to come back on Sunday.

So, in effect, I guess I got the blame for ruining her Saturday night shenanigans.

Oh well. And you know after 45 years, I still remember who those customers were.

I remember two old gentlemen who appeared every day to pick up their copy of The Patriot, who would lean in the same place every evening, chatting, I knew just what they wanted.

The smokers whose cigarettes or pipe tobacco would be sitting on the counter when I saw them coming, because I would remember their brand, I made a lot of friends and acquaintances that way.

And Larter's Pharmacy had the distinction of having the largest longest chocolate bar counter in Kings County. We had bars and candy we'd never heard of. I'm pretty sure we all gained 20 pounds, testing them all out. My personal favorite was the Cuban Lunch.

Larters had it all, from Carter's Little Liver Pills, to diamond rings, Givenchy Perfume to panty hose, from quality china and crystal to Rustcraft Greeting cards, I still miss those. And yes, we had french safes too.

And funnily enough, a few years later Darrell started working at Larters and had some good times, but he was smart and went on to get a good education. I wonder if starting his work career in a pharmacy had any influence on his decision.

Mr. Deagle, Hollywood handsome, with his beautiful family. I was their primary babysitter for years. And I sure learned a lot about housekeeping from Joan.

On Christmas Eve, which is traditionally when we all got "the Rock" Jamie and I got engaged, and I clearly remember going to bed after Midnight Mass, sitting up for hours with my back against the wall, admiring the ring on my finger, with all its' glitter and sparkle. I felt so special and ready for the next step.

Another great Winter Carnival activity, pitting students against teachers!

Many will also remember "Chaisson's Restaurant" at this time, right beside the drug store. I can close my eyes and bring myself right back to Mary Ann's kitchen, with the big black kitchen range just hopping off the floor. Since I was earning what I thought was pretty good money, I treated myself often. Her biscuits were legendary, light and fluffy and just right with a smear of Raspberry Jam.. Her hot hamburg sandwiches, I can still taste the coleslaw, so rich and creamy. A milkshake, to die for. Everything was absolutely delicious and home cooked. But nothing lasts.

I loved going in to work every shift, I never missed one, and it's where I developed my ability to stand for long hours, it was extremely busy and there wasn't much chance of sitting down. I would come in early and stay late. I kept learning more and taking on more responsibility. Eventually the druggist put me in the dispensary to work with him and I loved it. Clearly there was a path for me there, but life got in the way. Two things happened: Momma took a stroke that summer, and I was offered another job.