The Summer of ‘73

 


Eventually my high moments would be replaced by some bad decisions on my part. I began to lose interest in my studies, especially math and science, and I began to get in trouble, mostly cutting up in class and being rude to teachers. I had completely lost track of my friends from Uptown and I started feeling restless and depressed. I wanted to go away to school, to a boarding school, or to a private high school. I started skipping classes and I barely passed eighth grade. I felt lost, yet again. I don’t really remember what I did that summer, other than join the Beach Club Swim Team. I never really thought of myself as a great swimmer, but I did win a first place blue ribbon in the boys 14+under relay, a second place red ribbon in the boys 14+under breast, and two third place finishes, as my competitive edge always stayed intact. 


Other than swimming, I just hung out at Beach Club or on Padua’s Pier, drinking, smoking and trying to meet girls. My relationship with my parents and my siblings could not have gotten any worse, or so I thought. I felt alone and broken, and I was only thirteen years old. In hindsight, I had gone off my Tofranil, for whatever reason. If I had to put my finger on it, looking back on it now, even though I knew that the Tofranil was helping me, deep down inside I felt like I wasn’t normal for taking it in the first place, and I really just wanted to fit in like everyone else, and to just be and feel normal.


© 2022 Jeffrey Pipes Guice

My Wonder Years: A Book

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Warren Easton High School

Image
  I loved going to Warren Easton. I remember my very first day, going straight to the gym and getting myself into a pick up basketball game with Kenny “Kid Funk” Moss and Kerry “Cooley High” Washington, two guys who happened to play on the school basketball team. We kept winning games together, as a team, and I felt really good playing with these guys. While they didn’t yet know my name, they kept calling me “Pistol Pete” because of my moves and jump shot. Yes, I still had it. We finally lost to Richard “Crip” Simms’ team. As we sat in the bleachers waiting to get back in, they asked me about my story and how I got to Easton, and so on.  As high school kids do, they ended up telling me about which of the cheerleaders they had slept with, etc., which led to a discussion/brag session about our favorite lines and moves that we were “known for” with the ladies. After many stories, some half truths and some hysterical lies, I ended up with the nickname “Peter the Eater” for the res...
Read more

My Senior Year

Image
  I still had my fake ID from East Jefferson High School, which said I was now 19 years old, so I applied for a weekend job as a bar back at Bruno‘s Tavern on Maple Street, the home of bartender legend, George Rankin, and second home to Fletcher, the police guard who protected Audubon Place residents. This was great news on so many levels. As one could imagine, I obviously couldn’t stand still just being a bar back, so eventually I assigned myself the job of bouncer and late night bartender while the other bartenders were taking a break. Again, as one could imagine, I immediately started letting in all of my Uptown friends that I had made through Walker and Bill, including Arthur Fort, Tony Benjamin, John Denegre, Max Hart, Danny Pick, Larkin Selman, and so many others. My drink of choice became the gin and tonic, with a wedge of lime, and since I was making them for myself, I immediately developed a pretty good habit of drinking five or six each night. It was either Walker or Lark...
Read more

My Oyster Love Affair

Image
  My love affair started early... Just a skinny sixteen year old boy... I was working at Stephen & Martin’s... I was willing, but acting somewhat coy... An old black oyster shucker... Mr. Carl was his name... “Boy, once you try one of these... Your life ain’t never gonna be da same!” Being coaxed on by the patrons... I stared at the meat on the half shell... “Suck her up, boy!” yelled Mr. Montgomery...  “She’ll be the first of many, I do tell!” Sitting cross legged next to Mr. Montgomery...  Sat his perfectly beautiful wife... She licked her lips and offered a wink... “This was going to be a special day in your life...” She picked up the shell from the marble top bar...  Held it gently between her thumb and finger... I could smell the scent of her exotic perfume...  My boyish thoughts were starting to linger... As everyone was now watching... I stared down at the gooey blob... I could feel my confidence growing...  As my head began to slowly bob... ...
Read more