4.01.2008

2nd Grade Embarassment- Neal H.

One of the best parts of Elementary school, for me- a big geek, was the class play. At ol' A.E. Phillips, the school play was performed in a multi-purpose room and the rest of the grades at the school came to watch- Kindergarten through 8th grade. One time, in 2nd grade, my class did the school play, "Cinderella". I was Ugly Stepsister #2 (no smart comments, thank you) and practiced my lines all the time. In the ball scene, we did a little partner dancing- which is very dramatic for a 7 year old, right? Well, luckily and unluckily, my dance partner was only the most popular & cutest boy in 2nd grade, Neal H. He was the boy that all the 2nd grade girls chose when they played MASH, although that was later on- like in 5th grade. Regardless, Neal H. was my dancing partner for the ballroom scene and I was quite nervous.

Well, the day of the play comes and the entire school is there plus all of our families. The play was going smoothly. Katie & I had nailed our off-key duet, "Sing Sweet Nightingale" and the ball scene was coming. We all walked onto the stage and the music began. Neal and I curtsied and bowed and began our dance. I was really nervous so I always avoided eye contact around Neal H. However, that's not a good idea in dancing. Also remember that many times in 2nd grade, girls are the same size, if not bigger than boys. Suddenly, my foot gets caught on the edge of my skirt and I fall... right on top of Neal H. I am right on top of him, trapping him in the middle of the dance floor with all the other couples dancing around. I smushed him. I was so embarassed. We got up and recovered, the play continued, but I was scarred.

Even until my junior year in high school, my friends who went to elementary school with me would put that video on whenever I was over and we would just rewind that part over and over and over...

3 comments:

Lora said...

POOR CAMILLE!!!! I don't remember you falling on NH, but do remember you & Katie doing a great job. It's all in the "Eye of the Beholder"!

Anonymous said...

ooohhh...I REMEMBER this fateful moment. mortifying though it was for you it provided the rest of us with lots of amusement!! I gave up the coveted role as a mouse to play the 3rd ugly step sister (did they really have 3??) and had to dance with Ross. (who later became my boyfriend for exactly 3 hours) Somehow I always got the play roles that I invented for myself. (case in point the dog in Laura Inglalls wilder which should be a whole other blog day)

Deb said...

Isn't strange how those types of memories are seared into our memories. Mine have to do with square dancing class (a PA traditon?)in fifth grade. It is still painful to recall.