Article January 19, 1981 ISSUE

THE STANDARDS ARE WORTH IT

Lona Ingwerson

I remember that day like yesterday. I was twelve or thirteen, which I'll admit was not the happiest time of my life. I wanted very much to be popular, but I always felt so "out of it." I thought my clothes were a disaster; I never knew just what to say, especially to boys, and I was sure everyone thought I was a square. Once in a while my mom would remind me that these were the happiest days of my life and that I should enjoy them. I thought, "If these are the happiest, I'd hate to see what's coming."

On that particular "happy day" I'd forgotten my gym clothes, so the athletics instructor made me play baseball with my school dress on. It was pink and blue, a fact I would have forgotten long ago, had it not been for Barbara. As I turned the corner at third base, I heard her holler from the side, "Look at the pink and blue elephant!" That was it. I felt rather elephantine and clumsy anyway, so her comment hit home.

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