Starting
school is, for any kid, usually kind of
worrisome. All of a sudden you have classmates,
some of whom you will spend 12 years with. In a
small town that is the rule, rather than the
exception.I’ve always felt that most all of my friendships here in Boundary County started in the early years of grade school.
One of those dear friends is a beautiful lady named Pauline Rainey. Her maiden name was Pauline Hopkins. The Hopkins tribe lived at the top of what we used to call Stones Hill.
Their home was a large rambling thing, with lots of rooms. Everything from sleigh riding on Stones Hill to having parties inside the Hopkins home was part of growing up with her and her family.
Going to school at the South Side grade school was part and parcel of knowing her and so many others.
Our first grade school teacher was a tall, thin lady named Mrs. Stewart. She was not necessarily severe, but we miscreants quickly learned to follow the rules, yup.
Mrs. Stewart felt that we students all needed a "nap" after lunch. Today I suppose you would call that event "quiet time."
I can tell you from experience, that lady wanted that time to be quiet, period. So, we all had to lie on the floor, on some sort of paper mats, and take a nap. As they say in Norway, "ya shore!"
Pretending to be asleep and then making the person next to you laugh or giggle was just so entertaining.
Years later, Pauline was walking down Main Street with a lady friend in tow. As she approached me she said that she would like to introduce this lady to me. She explained to this lady that I had been her friend “just forever” and that we had lived in the same ‘hood when growing up, and had went to all 12 grades of school together.
It quickly grew very apparent to me that Pauline’s friend was what one might call high falootin', as we used to say.
After the usual comments of so nice to meet you madam, I explained to this friend that Pauline was one of the first girls I had ever slept with. With a big smile, I took my leave.
It’s only fair to say that Pauline told me later she spent a good deal of time explaining that one to her friend. Some comment about shooting me was mentioned, but we won’t dwell on that!
Of such stories and memories are good friends made.