Sunday, February 24, 2008

Jonathan and my hairy arm

His name was Jonathan, he was a tall scrawny boy with dark blond hair and pale white skin. I had one class with him in the 7Th grade at Sequoia Junior High. I looked forward to that particular class every single day because I had a huge crush on Jonathan. I watched him through out the 50 minute class, each time I spotted him in the hallways and in the cafeteria during the lunch hour (hey it is not creepy when you are 13 years old, OK?), but he did not know that I exist.
One day we walked into class and the teacher informed us that she was changing our seating arrangement. As Mrs. whatshername was reading the names of each student and sending them to their new seat I was secretly wishing that she would sit Jonathan and I together. My wish came true and we were seated right next to one another.
I was ecstatic! I was also very nervous and shy, not sure of what to do with myself. The thoughts kept running through my mind: "Should I put my hand under my chin or on the table? Should I sit up straight or should I lean back? Should I look down at my book or look up at the teacher? How do I look? Did he look at me? Oh my god, my arm! It is hairy!!! He is sitting so close that he can see every single dark hair on my arm! He is going to think that I am a monster. I am going to die of shame".
That night I went home and came up with the solution to my crisis. For the first (and last) time in my life I SHAVED my arm.
My arm hair was not as hideous as I believed it was, but being surrounded with white blond girls, their smooth white arms and the invisible blond hair, mine looked like a gorilla's arm.
So because of Jonathan who was sitting on my right hand side, I shaved my right arm. Yes, I left the left arm hairy. Why did I not just shave both arms you ask? Well because no one important was sitting to my left, of course!
Jonathan probably never noticed my arm through out the entire class, but the crisis that I put myself through was very real.

I am so glad that I am not 13 any more!

2 comments:

Unknown said...

hahahahaha
aaaah the logic of a teenager :)

Unknown said...

And that's why Pourya and I have started a Laser Fund at Bank of America for our daughter.