Writing Workshop

"Write about a time when someone said no"

I was in kindergarten, a very social butterfly. I loved boys especially, they were always doing something that I would find interesting. Building a house out of lincoln logs, or pretending that they had just purchased their dream car and were going to race each other. My favorite "boy" game was G. I. joe. I had a friend, Paul who loved to play a war game with G.I. Joe. We would pretend to be army men and we would be armed with a cap gun, hiding in the bushes and climbing trees while clutching on to our soldier dolls.

Mrs. Mcarthy had it out for me one day in kindergarten. I remember walking to my desk and I stopped to see what a couple of boys were doing. I was very curious, my mind was always off in some strange land or having a conversation with some midgets wondering "what is it like to be so close to the ground?"

I guess I had done a cardinal sin in stopping to socialize. Mrs. Mcarthy swiftly took me out of the classroom and brought me back to a backroom behind the classroom.I was so scared, even though I was social I was extremely shy and reserved. The littlest accusation would completely disrupt my whole being. I was told that stopping to talk to your neighboor was forbidden and I had been warned.

So to my dismay Mrs. Mcarthy told me to say that I was sorry. I refused, I felt that I had did no wrong and why should I have to apologize for something that wasn't wrong. I felt that admitting by apologizing would be admitting to the crime. I was very stubborn. Very sophisticated for a 5 year old.

Next step for this kindergarten teacher was to make sure that I could not participate in the classroom for one day, I had to sit on the visitors chair. Now the visitors chair was in the middle of the classroom and you couldn't get out of it, speak, or participate in any of the activities. I could however get out of this chair of torture if I would just apologize.

I refused after several pleas from Mrs. Mcarthy. So there I sat all day long with this memory of injustice imprinted on my very soul, this injustice would form my character. Sticking to my guns so to speak is highly valued characteristic for me and not to be a sell-out is something to strive for in my life.