1980
New decade. I was in 1st grade that August. My teacher was Mrs. Lucille Walters. I got two paddles that year for getting up and running around the classroom when the teacher left the room. We all did it, we all knew we would get a paddle. But, it was worth it. We just had so much bottled up energy waiting to explode.
My new friends were John Pelfrey and Jason Hoskins. I still wanted to be a farmer. My Principle was Neil Hundley. Amazingly I got all A’s and B’s. My classes were Reading, English, Phonics, Writing, Math.
I remember one time when papaw Dan came to pick me up from school. I saw him when we were going to the playground. I was overwhelmed with happy emotions. I started running and then pushed a little girl, Jozanna Williams, down. Don’t even ask me why I did it. I well tell you the same thing I told papaw, “I don’t know, just happy to see you, I guess”.
During this time the big, must have, toys to own and play with were, Star wars. I loved them and had almost every one of them from each movie.
I remember this year I bloody a boys nose. It was totally an accident. At lest that is what I told Principal Hundly. Man, I was very scared of this man. The rumor was that he had an electric paddle, with holes in it.
It really was an accident. The boy was Carter Easterling, Jenn’s first cousin, and my good friend. We had just bought snacks and were walking back to the classroom. He held his potato chip bag up and I slapped it. He then dared me to try and hit it again. I don’t know why he held it in front of his face. But he did. Not being able to see danger, I drawed back and let it rip. Well, he did not even try to move. I punched through the bag and nailed him in the nose. His nose started bleeding. I thought he was going to die. I panicked; I just knew I was going to be killed for this. I ran to get help. I ran to the first person I could find. And it was the last person that I wanted to see. Yeap, Mr. Hundley. But, Carter was going to die if I did not get help. I over came my fears and said, “Carter’s nose is bleeding.” He replied, “why is his nose bleeding?”
My dad taught me from an early age to always tell the truth. I stood up proud and said, “well…I don’t know how. But, he is going to die if you don’t go get him.”
Are you kidding me? I was not going to tell him I punched Carter’s nose. I wanted to live. You see kids always think they can get away with it. But the truth is, the truth always comes out. If it had not been for Carter I would have met the alleged “electric paddle”.
I remember another really stupid thing I done this year. Classmate, Paul Lyons, while playing with him on the playground went down the hill. He hollered for me to go with him. I knew it was wrong but I went along with him. We waited until the teacher turned her head and we darted under the fence. Well, I guess we just thought we would run back up the hill and under the fence. I was wrong. Paul Lyons was a huge kid and was about three times bigger than me. He could not make it back up the steep bank. So being rational about it, we took off walking back in the woods. I don’t know why. I guess we thought it would lead us to our classroom??? Anyway we walked a good half a mile and came to a pond. Paul sat down and said that he was tired and could not go any further.
So, let me get this straight. You brought me off the playground, back in the hills and sat down. Yeah, this is really what I wanted to hear. I only came with Paul Lyons because he was bigger than anything in the woods we would see. Now he wanted me to go get help. I did not even know where I was.
If you know me, you know that I am terrible with directions. Scared to death that a monster would eat me. I over came my fears and headed in a direction. This is another time in my life that I had a guardian angel watching over me.
I actually made my way to the playground again. Only one problem, no one was there. That meant that we were busted. I grudgingly walked into the classroom and faced my doom. When the teacher asked me what happened. I remembered that dad told me to never lie. So I replied, “Paul slid over the hill and I could not get him back up the hill.”
Are you kidding me, I was not going to tell them we went on an adventure. I wanted to live.
I know by now you are thinking that I was very mischievous. Yes I was. But, what I am scared of now is that my day is coming. My children are getting older and I am getting dumber by the day.
That Christmas Wayne and sis told me there was no Santa. I wanted to try and find our if that were true. Mom kept asking me what I wanted. I would not tell her. I had wrote Santa and told him. She told me that she has to be Santa’s helper. I said no if there really is a Santa he would know what I want. Little did I know that when I sent my letter it went to the local radio station. They read it over the air. I don’t even remember what I wanted that year. I just remember the brilliant plan was foiled.
The top songs in 1980 were:
Another One Bites The Dust -- Queen
Call Me -- Blondie
Do That To Me One More Time -- Captain & Tennille
Lady -- Kenny Rogers
Upside Down -- Diana Ross
Another Brick In The Wall -- Pink Floyd
Rock With You -- Michael Jackson
Woman In Love -- Barbra Streisand
Crazy Little Thing Called Love -- Queen
(Just Like) Starting Over -- John Lennon
1980’s favorite TV Shows
• ALF • Bosom Buddies • Cagney & Lacey • Cheers • Cosby Show, The • Diff'rent Strokes • Facts Of Life • Family Ties • Golden Girls, The • Greatest American Hero • Growing Pains • Head of the Class • Hill Street Blues • Knots Landing • Love Boat, The • MacGyver • Miami Vice • Mork & Mindy • Mr. Belvedere • My Two Dads • Night Court • Perfect Strangers • Silver Spoons • Small Wonder • St. Elsewhere • Three's Company • Webster • Who's the Boss • WKRP In Cincinnati • Wonder Years, The
CARTOONS: The Adventures of Popeye (1978-81), The All-New Ewoks (1986-87), All New Popeye Hour (1978-81), The All-New Scooby and Scrappy-Doo Show (1983-84), Alvin & the Chipmunks (1983-91), Berenstein Bears (1985-86), Care Bears (1985-86), Challenge of the Gobots (1984), The Charlie Brown and Snoopy Show (1983-86), Chip & Dale's Rescue Rangers (1988-89), Curious George (1980), Disney's Gummi Bears/Winnie the Pooh Hour (1989-90), Donkey Kong (1983-85), Dragon's Lair (1984-85), Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids (1972-84), Flash Gordon (1979-81), The Flintstones Comedy Show (1980-1981), Fraggle Rock (Animated) (1987-88), Garfield and Friends (1988-95), Get Along Gang (1984-85), Ghostbusters (Filmation) (1986-88), G.I. Joe (1983-87), Gummi Bears (1985-89), The Heathcliff and Dingbat Show (1980-81), He-Man and the Masters of the Universe (1983-87), Hulk Hogan's Rockin' Wrestling (1985-87), The Incredible Hulk (1982-1985), It's Punky Brewster (1985-87), Jetsons (1984-85, 1987-88), The Little Rascals/Richie Rich Show (1983-84), The Lone Ranger (1980-81), Mighty Mouse: The New Adventures (1987-89), Mr. T (1983-86), Muppet Babies (1984-92), My Little Pony and Friends (1986-1987), The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (1988-90), Pac-Man (1982-84), Pound Puppies (1986-87), Schoolhouse Rock (1972-80), She-Ra: Princess of Power (1985-86), Shirt-Tales (1982-85), Smurfs (1981-86), Snorks (1984-86), Spiderman and His Amazing Friends, Strawberry Shortcake (1981), Superman (1988), Super Mario Brothers (1989-90), Super Powers Team: Galactic Guardians (1985-86), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1987-96), ThunderCats (1985), The Tom and Jerry Comedy Show (1981-82), Transformers (1984-88), The World's Greatest Super Friends (1979-80), Wuzzles (1985-87) and Zorro (1981-1982)
MOVIES: NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET, RAIN MAN, STAR TREK 2, ROXANNE, DIE HARD, FERRIS BUEHLER'S DAY OFF, FIELD OF DREAMS, FLETCH, AIRPLANE, THE SHINING, RETURN OF THE JEDI, THE ROAD WARRIOR, BATMAN, INDIANA JONES - RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK, RAISING ARIZONA, THE BLUES BROTHERS, THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK, ALIENS,Glory, The Terminator, Manhunter, Bull Durham, Lethal Weapon, Evil Dead 2, Beetlejuice, Octopussy, Trading Places, Driving Miss Daisy, Sudden Impact, Planes, Trains, And Automobiles, Indiana Jones And The Last Crusade, The Last Emperor, Gremlins, Conan The Barbarian, Silverado, Ghostbusters, The Natrual, Raging Bull, Good Morning, Vietnam, Predator, Big, Scarface, The Running Man, The Goonies.
Rocky 3, Robocop, The Blob, The Lost BoysE.T. (this movie sucks soooo bad), When Harry Met Sally...,...Say Anything, Amadeus, Out of Africa, The Breakfast Club, all John Hughes movies except those listed elsewhere, Pretty Woman, Dirty Dancing, Moonstruck, An Officer and a Gentleman, Tootsie, Who Framed Roger Rabbit?, Witness, Cocktail, and Steel Magnolias
