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| Yes, the caption is in the original |
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| "cool" but highly inappropriate behavior |
While far from any prep school culture, the three public high schools I attended all had good-looking, fun-loving guys who loved to joke around like the young Mitt is above (and to the left). No pictures have yet surfaced of his "fun" with the gay kid he went after with scissors to cut his hair. I was the kind of kid that got picked on sometimes, apparently without regard to any sexual orientation. And I didn't like hanging out with guys who did that sort of joking around.
Truth be known, I knew and hung around with some guys who, while maybe not quite as cool as the young, future President appears (above and to the right), did engage in similar activities. I could say like Clinton that I never inhaled. But as this is true confession time, while I never smoked pot or even tobacco, I just might have experienced a touch of vicarious high from smoke in the air that was around me - and that was in the bathroom and gym floor of a high school dance I attended. (The early-70s were an era of declining enforcement of standards in student behavior). I can clearly describe the sickly sweet smell of pot as I recently did to my 15-year-old son, whom I believe when he tells me he has never smelled it. I had at that age. I would like him to be prepared.
People complain about our failures to "vet" political candidates while others claim we are digging too deep - there are few who can withstand the scrutiny of a life without something embarrassing coming out. We are imperfect human beings after all. The important thing is which direction we are headed, away, or deeper into our mistakes.
I'm not really sure where this is going except to reveal my discomfort with Romney's pranksterism even with his apology for whatever happened in that one incident he doesn't remember too well. Perhaps I am more comfortable with Obama's youthful weed smoking which he freely admits and regrets in his autobiography published some years ago. Make your own choice in the matter.
Oh, and me in high school? Co-editor of the school newspaper - classic nerd.
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| Mary Jo and Me (on the right, leaning slightly to the left - my right) 1974 |
Anonymous/M I don't know about Mormom moms being better at giving their kids a guilt trip than Catholic or Jewish moms. Maybe my French DNA messes things up a little. I remember vividly changing the sheets on my teenage son's bed and pulling out a Playboy magazine (in the 70's, they were way more genteel than even the present soft porn). The poor kid was mortified to find me sitting cross-legged on his bed reading some of the articles aloud and laughing my head off. He wailed tearfully, "But Mom, you're the bishop's wife. You're SUPPOSED to be mad at me!" To spare his feelings, I didn't put this comment in FaceBook since he is less likely to read this blog (he made a joke once about being from Slytherin, so I am not positive about that).
ReplyDeleteWell, I probably should have kept my mom out of it. But I did have a big dose of guilt that saved me from some trouble. I think you dealt with your situation very well.
DeleteI had hair like that in '74 ;-)
ReplyDeleteI wish I had at least half of that back for my forehead.
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