Nov 16, 1973

Not one of my best days. Billy has started blowing spitwads at me in homeroom. Today, he hit me right on the cheek. That was GROSS! Robert was home sick, and Frannie came in late, because she was getting her braces adjusted. She had to wear her retainer all afternoon and was in a foul mood.

We had another pop quiz in math today, and I did really badly. Miss Ealens gave us our Civil War projects to do today. I don’t mind working with Sandy on it, but we also got Mike Gaultier. He’s a real twerp! He keeps asking Sandy to the Christmas Dance, and she doesn’t want to go with him. I’d completely forgotten about it. I’m too afraid to ask Rhonda, and I’m sure Sandy won’t go with me. Frannie? I wouldn’t dare. I’d never hear the end of it. Rhonda will probably go with Dan.

We had an inter-squad scrimmage today. I didn’t score a single point, not even a foul shot. I never miss foul shots! I don’t know how I did it, but even playing on the same team as Dan, he still knocked me over. I had to sit out for a while until my nose stopped bleeding. Eric Knorr charged into me, too, and I got the foul. I’m feeling pretty sore all around. Mom and Sandy came to watch. It was really embarrassing. I feel like quitting.

I learned today: I stink at basketball.

Nov 15, 1973

Today was AWESOME! Mr Milner asked me today if I wanted to play point guard. Jay Callen won’t be back from his broken wrist for a couple of weeks. He’s the best player on the team, but it means I’ll get to practise with the first team and maybe start a few games. And I won’t have to guard Dan Hoffa.

I aced a pop quiz in math today – Robert even missed one. I also got a 97 on my English test.

The best thing was Rhonda and I went a couple more rounds of tongue wrestling today. She says she kinda likes it. I don’t like calling it French kissing, since she will never be my girlfriend. Football cheerleaders don’t date nerdy second-team basketball players, no matter how good they tongue wrestle. I saw Dan hanging around her at lunch today. I don’t have a chance.

The real best thing was that Rhonda’s parents invited me to the Browns game on Sunday to thank me for helping her with her homework. Her sister is in the high school marching band and they are playing at half-time. Cool!

I learned today: Tutoring a cheerleader has its perks.

Nov 14, 1973

I’m so tired. Mr Milner got mad at us in practice, so we did sprint drills, laps, more sprints, more laps ...

I learned today: I’m so tired I can’t remember.

Nov. 13, 1973

I am so stupid. On the way home today, I asked Rhonda if we were going steady. She just laughed at me, but she did say she liked me. She said I was “sweet.” I hope she doesn’t tell Sandy about it. I’ll never hear the end of it.

Everyone is still mad at me. Dave won’t talk to me now either. Frannie walked with me to History again. I don’t understand her. Why would she walk with a seventh-grader? She’s really strange, but at least she’s nice to me now.

I did OK on my lesson and aced my math quiz. Yes! At least something went well. Rhonda doesn’t like Of Mice and Men at all. She’s hardly even started it, so we just sat in the family room and read together. The Grapes of Wrath is great. It’s one of the best books we’ve read so far, but I’m already two chapters ahead of the rest of the class, so I read along with Rhonda in Mom’s copy. I’ve caught up with her already. Rhonda is funny when she reads; she whispers and twists her face up when she doesn’t know a word.

Rhonda’s older sister picked her up in her dad’s car. She didn’t really have far to walk, but Mandy takes every opportunity to practise her driving. Dad took us out to dinner at MacDonalds after she left. They just re-modelled it, so we can eat inside now.

I learned today: I play better in my lesson when I practise.

Nov. 12, 1973

Billy and Hal wouldn’t talk to me today. They got in big trouble at home because of Friday’s fight. Neither was suspended, but Mr Brown phoned both their parents, and both are grounded. Robert is still mad at me, too. Frannie spoke to me for the first time to me today. All she really said was that Billy was a twerp, but I was so shocked that I almost dropped my books. I thought she hated me, but she actually walked with me to History class. Her class was across the hall.

We talked about the abolition of slavery in class. We’d spent a month on the Civil War, but that was mostly about the demands of the Confederate States and the main battles. Robert said that his ancestors fled from Alabama before the war actually started.

Most of second period was lost to a tornado drill. I didn’t mind. It was weird having it in November, since tornado season was over. Sometime in the next week we are having a Civil Defence drill, where we get to go down in the bomb shelter. I don’t know how we’d survive down there; Frannie says all the food is rotten.

I bumped into Sami Patel at lunchtime, and it made me wonder. If Robert is the first black in our school, what does that make her? Her skin is even darker than Robert’s. Sandy said it’s because she’s from India and not Africa, and Indians were never used by Americans as slaves. Sami’s the smartest person in the ninth grade, and one of the prettiest girls in the school, but she doesn’t do any sports or music.

We had another pop quiz in Math class, but I did OK on it, I think. Basketball was tough again today, and about ten kids quit. I don’t think Mr Milner is going to have a tough job making cuts. We learned figure-8 drills today. Those are kinda cool, except when Dan ran me over. I was too tired to practise my trumpet again.

I learned today: Being black has nothing to do with your skin color.

Nov. 11, 1973

Church: boring. CCD: boring. Rain: boring. Watched bowling on Wide World of Sports: boring. Studied: boring. Practiced: boring.

I learned today: Sunday is boring.

Nov. 10, 1973

I woke up really sore today. After spending the morning on my homework, we went to Sears and bought a color TV. I always thought the Skipper’s shirt was red and Gilligan’s was blue. The TV doesn’t work properly, though. I Love Lucy is still in black and white. Dad wouldn’t take it back. He tried to explain why, but I still don’t understand.

It rained in the afternoon, and no one would come over, not even to see the new TV.

I learned today: Color is better than Black & White.

Nov. 9 1973

Normally I like Fridays, but today was a disaster. At lunch recess, I tried to get Billy and Hal to let Robert play with us, but they started picking on him and before long Hal and Robert got into a fight. I wanted to try to break it up, but Hal is much bigger than me, and both of them are my friends. Robert didn’t have a chance and ended up with a bloody lip. All four of us ended up in the Principal’s office. Billy and Hal both got detentions. Robert and I only missed half of math class, and we were lucky that there wasn’t another pop quiz. Mrs Tanner usually has them on Fridays.

Robert wouldn’t talk to me the rest of the day. “Don’t do me any more favors!” was all he said. Billy and Hal were mad at me, too, and even Dave wouldn’t speak to me.

Basketball practice was hard. We did a lot of running. I’ll make the team, but it will be a miracle if I play in anything other than a blowout. Robert wasn’t lying when he said he wasn’t good at sports; he couldn’t even hit the rim, except by accident. I wasn’t surprised that he quit the team at the end of practice. He probably wouldn’t have made it anyway; he’s almost as bad as Andy. Mr Milner didn’t protest either when Robert told him.

Robert’s brother picked him up after practice in a shiny new dark blue Mercedes. Cool!

We ate dinner as soon as Dad drove me home. I was too tired to practise my trumpet, or do anything else. I just went straight to bed.

I learned today: I hate school.

Nov. 8, 1973

Billy and Hal have started calling Robert my “Nigger” friend. That hurts. Mom told me that it’s really bad to call someone a nigger. If Robert’s around they won’t even talk to me. He’s actually really nice, except when someone calls him Bob or Bobby. He hates that. “My name is Robert!” he shouts. Nobody calls anyone by their full name. Only Mom calls me Thomas, and only when she is mad at me.

I was really surprised that Robert doesn’t want to try out for basketball. He says he’s really bad at sports. I can’t believe that. Even Mr Milner was pleading with him. Robert promised that he would try, but he didn’t think he’d make it.

Our English test was really hard, but I think I did OK. Sandy thought it was easy. I’m still not that wild about Hemingway, but helping Rhonda with her homework on Tuesday helped me think about it a little differently. We get Steinbeck next: The Grapes of Wrath, now that’s a cool title. Rhonda is going to be reading Steinbeck, too, but she’s reading Of Mice and Men.

Rhonda and Sandy walked with me again today. They teased me about my black eye, which is now turning all sorts of colors. Rhonda got an A on her book report that I helped her with. I’m going to help her again on Tuesday, but she’s coming to my house this time. I don’t think Mom would be too happy if she caught us tongue-wrestling.

I learned today: I don’t like spinach.

Nov. 7, 1973

Tricked! I asked Billy today if he’d ever tongue-wrestled. First, he looked at me strangely and then laughed, “You mean French kissing! Of course I have!” Immediately, I doubted him, but what was worse was that yesterday, it meant that I’d kissed Rhonda, not once, but THREE times…and enjoyed it. Billy said that’s what girls and boys do when they are going steady. Am I going steady with Rhonda? We don’t even hold hands or anything. I’m glad that Billy told me before I asked Sandy if she wanted to tongue-wrestle. Now that would have been embarrassing!

If anyone had asked me on Monday if I would ever kiss a girl, I would have said, “ICK!” Now I wouldn’t hesitate to do it again. What I really don’t understand is why the prettiest girl in the seventh grade would want to kiss me and let me touch her boobs. I’m too skinny, not that smart, and I’m not that popular – not like Billy, or Dan Hoffa, the quarterback of the football team. He’ll be on the basketball team, too. I’m sure we’ll play the same position, just like in baseball. I always have to play first base because Dan is the best shortstop on the planet, or at least his father thinks so, and his father is our coach. You would think that Rhonda would be much more interested in him.

I got a C on my math test. That stinks! I thought I did better than that. Sandy and Billy both got A’s, and Billy didn’t even study. Robert got a B! That was his first day at our school, but he took it without any preparation. Hal says they aren’t supposed to be very smart. He must be; we’re in all the same classes, except that he’s not in band. I’m not saying that I’m smart, but I am in the top track of all the classes, even if I don’t get A’s in all of them. Billy can’t even say that, but he does get all A’s, except if he’s being punished.

More studying tonight; I’ve got an English test tomorrow, and Mom says I need to start practising my trumpet after school. She got a call from Mr Janek saying that I’m not prepared for my lessons. Dad helped me practise a little for the basketball tryout on Friday.

I learned today: I’ll never understand girls.

Nov. 6, 1973

She called it “Tongue-Wrestling.”

Today was really packed, but I can’t write about all that yet. Rhonda…WOW! When we got to her house and I made my call home, we started working on Rhonda’s essay. Her parents weren’t there, and Mandy, her older sister, was supposed to be watching over us, but she was down in the basement watching television with her boyfriend. When we were about ¾ done, Rhonda asked if we could try a little experiment. She said that Mandy and her boyfriend tongue-wrestled all the time when her parents weren’t around. She said all the high school kids do it, and she wanted to know why. I agreed that it sounded gross, and was hesitant at first, but she said I could touch her boobs if I agreed to try it. Every boy in school wanted to touch her boobs, and she was offering me the opportunity on a plate. I figured I could suffer through a round of tongue-wrestling for that.

What I didn’t expect was to enjoy tongue-wrestling so much, we went three long rounds. I’m not sure who won, but I’m not sure I really care. Touching her boobs was almost an anti-climax. She said I couldn’t tell anyone, especially not Billy. She said I shouldn’t even write it in my diary. What good is the experience if I can’t tell someone about it? Writing it in my diary couldn’t hurt, but I’m dying to tell Billy or Hal. I hope she’ll want to do it again. Maybe Sandy will want to try it, too.

We got a new boy in class today. Miss Grantham made a big deal about it because he’s black. He’s the first black student ever at Norwood Junior High. She said he’s just like the rest of us, so we shouldn’t treat him any differently than anyone else. I’m not sure what she meant by that. He sits right behind me, and seemed nice. He’s really shy. He told me that his older brother was playing with the Cavs this year, and that’s why they moved up here from Columbus.

I learned today: Girls’ boobs are soft, but I don’t understand the attraction. Tongue wrestling is much more interesting.

Nov. 5, 1973

More blood on my pillow this morning, and my bruise has turned into black eye. Mom says that if I bleed again tonight, she’s taking me to the doctor tomorrow.

Billy tripped Frannie this morning, and she might have sprained her wrist. I don’t know why he picks on her; she never fights back, and is usually pretty nice to us. It could be because of her brother, Andy. He’s in our grade, and he’s a total lurp. Billy calls him “Four-eyes” Frame. Frame is their last name. He’s really stupid and in all the bottom classes. He was on my basketball team in Gym last year; he couldn’t even dribble the ball. My team was the worst in the school because Andy couldn’t guard anyone, not even a girl, and passing to him was like passing to the other team. We lost every game we played. He was on my Little League team, too. He just stood out in right field and picked his nose while the rest of us tried to play. He struck out every time up. Useless!

Sandy and Rhonda had a cat-fight with Laura Ann at recess today. I missed it because I was having my trumpet lesson, which was really awful. I didn’t practise for it at all. Hal said the fight was quite a spectacle – two seventh-graders beating up an eighth-grader. I was amazed that no one got punished. I guess that being the best student in the class or the captain of the cheerleaders pulls some weight. They walked home with me, but wouldn’t talk about the fight. Sandy had a rip in her dress, and wasn’t too happy about it. Tomorrow is my first time tutoring Rhonda after school. It’s at her house. I’ve never been there before.

I have a math test tomorrow, so I had to study a lot tonight. No television – not even Monday Night Football.

I learned today: Watching television is more fun than studying for a test.

Nov. 4, 1973

I bled all over my pillow last night, and my nose really hurts today. Church was boring as usual, and I fell asleep in CCD. I had to spend the afternoon helping Dad trim the hedge and cut back the roses. It was hard work, and we were rewarded with grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup. We finished just in time to watch the Browns game on TV.

I learned today: If I get beaten up, it’s still my fault.

Nov. 3, 1973

I got beaten up today.

Dad said I could finally go out. It was sunny, so we played some touch football at Dave’s house. I’d be a pretty good quarterback if I weren’t so skinny. Dad wouldn’t let me try out for the team because he thought I’d get hurt. Hal Goldberg and I snuck over to Billy’s house in the afternoon. The three of us went over to play in the field behind Pinewood. There are a lot of paths over there as well as a clearing where Billy and Hal smoke. One puff was enough to turn me off forever.

Shortly after we got there, some other boys showed up. They were older, a few ninth and tenth graders. They told us to beat it, but Billy stood up to them. He’s much bigger than I am; he’s already 13. In fact, he was bigger than most of the older boys. The biggest, however, was Paul Hurst, Laura Ann’s older brother. He’s almost 6’ tall. When he realized who we were, he took a swing at Billy who ran immediately. Hal took off in the other direction, but I was stuck in the middle. They started pushing me around, and eventually Paul took a swing at me and bloodied my nose.

Dad told me off again when I got home, and I’ve got to finish my sentence. I’m grounded again until Tuesday.

I learned today: Don’t pick on a girl who has an older brother who is bigger than you.

Nov. 2, 1973

Billy was back today, and he unhooked Frannie’s bra four times in homeroom. I think he wanted to see how many times he could do it before she tattled. She never did, but finally left it unhooked until she got to History class. I think she was crying. Before Science class Billy bet me that he could do Laura Ann’s by the end of lunch recess. Well, he proved that it did hook in front. He got slapped, but nothing worse. Since I lost, I had to unhook Frannie’s by the end of the day. I succeeded, but she cried and told on me. I got paddled again, and Mr Brown, the Principal, said that I would get a detention next time I did it.

I walked home with Billy as far as Edgewood and went the rest of the way on my own. Sandy wouldn’t walk with me because of Billy. Rhonda was at the football game. I couldn’t go because I am still grounded. Freedom tomorrow.

I learned today: If you are popular with the girls, they won’t snitch on you.

Nov. 1, 1973

Billy says Rhonda’s a slut. I don’t know; she seems OK to me. I’m not sure Billy knows what a slut is.

I got an A+ on my History essay. Miss Ealens makes it all worthwhile. Mrs Trainer, though, makes me want to puke. We had a pop quiz in Math class. I was late getting back from lunch, so I missed it. I can’t help it if I couldn’t hear the whistle. I failed the test and had to serve a detention after school. I hate her!

I walked home with Rhonda and Sandy today. Rhonda does live on Edgewood. I asked Sandy if she knew why they went down Pinewood. She got really mad at me and walked the rest of the way home alone…well, with me walking 10 paces behind her.

Dad said he didn’t want me hanging around with Billy any more. I don’t know why. He wants me to come straight home from school from now on, unless I join the basketball team, which means he would pick me up after practice 3 times a week. I told him about helping Rhonda with her English, and he said that was OK as long as she came to our house, or I phoned Mom when I got to hers.

I learned today: They don’t blow the recess whistle loud enough.

Oct. 31,1973

Mr Milner told me I should try out for the basketball team. I don’t know why. I can shoot OK and am alright handling the ball, but I’m nothing special. I’m not even tall like my Dad. I won’t make the first team, maybe not even the second. Dave Longley told me it was because I had decent grades, and several of the starters have been given interim reports. So I’ll play if everyone fails; what a refreshing thought.

Billy got suspended for smoking yesterday; that’s why I didn’t see him. He’ll miss tomorrow, too. Sandy is talking to me again. She and Rhonda both ate lunch with me. Dave teased me a little, but that’s OK. They both are really nice to me. Cooties, bah! Billy always has girls around. Why shouldn’t I? That is, unless we’re doing boy things. Rhonda is really athletic; she says she’s going to try out for the track team in the spring. I might, too. I was the best high jumper in Elementary School.

Billy was waiting for us after we got off school, so we could all get into our costumes. His big brother and his girlfriend took us out for Halloween. Actually, they took us down our street and then disappeared. We went to the next street over and soaped some windows. Mr Hastings caught Dave, Hal, and Ed soaping his patio door, but Billy and I got away. I don’t think Mr Hastings saw us. At least, I hope not, and the other guys better not snitch on us. I now have enough candy to last until Thanksgiving, or so Dad says.

I learned today: Don’t soap people’s windows if they are home.

Oct 30, 1973

Dear Diary,

Sandy wouldn’t talk to me today. We had a test project in Science class, and she accidentally knocked over the solution we were analyzing. It burst into a large ball of flame before I blew it out. She ran out of the room in tears, and Mr Tanner had to run after her. She’s such a girl. We got a D on the test, since all we could say about the solution was that it was flammable.

Rhonda sat with me at lunch. She asked me if I could help her with her English homework once football season ends next week. She’s the captain of the seventh grade cheerleaders, so she won’t be free after school until then. That’s good. It saves me the embarrassment of telling her I’m grounded. She’s not very smart, but her class gets to read all the good books, like Huckleberry Finn and Treasure Island. We’re stuck reading For Whom the Bell Tolls. Boring! I’m still a bit confused. Sandy’s her best friend, and she’s better at English than I am. Why isn’t she helping Rhonda?

I didn’t see Billy after homeroom this morning. I wonder if he went home sick.

Great news! Dad said I could go out for Halloween tomorrow if I helped him wash the car today. Dad’s the best!

I learned today: Girls are weird.

Oct 27-28, 1973

Oops, I skipped an entry

Dear Diary,

It rained all weekend. Billy’s family went to visit his cousins in Euclid, and then went to the Browns game together on Sunday. They got really soaked. We did nothing except go to the mall to buy clothes on Saturday and to Church on Sunday morning. I spent Sunday afternoon writing my History essay on General Sherman’s Scorched Earth policy.

I learned this weekend: There isn’t any good television on Saturday or Sunday afternoon.

Oct 29, 1973

Dear Diary,

The masks came today. Billy arranged for a bunch of us to go out on Halloween as zombies, complete with life-like (or death-like) rubber masks. A few of us wore them at Gym class as a prank. Mr Milner wasn’t pleased and made us wear them the whole time. Flag football isn’t easy with a mask on. They got all sweaty and dirty, and we couldn’t turn our heads quickly or we couldn’t see.

I gave Mom a horrible fright. I washed off my mask when I got home, and it was bath-time by the time it dried. I couldn’t resist looking at it in the mirror. It looked so cool. Anyway, she yelled at me for not being in the bath, so I jumped in without taking my mask off. I was laying in water with soap up to my neck when she came in to check on me. She screamed and ran downstairs. Dad grounded me for a whole week, so I’m going to miss Halloween. I'm bummed.

I learned today: Never wear a rubber mask in the bathtub.

Oct 26, 1973

Dear Diary,

Miss Ealens told us in history class that we should start keeping a diary, so this I my attempt. I’m supposed to write whatever happens each day, and at the end tell something I learned that day. Miss Ealens is a GODDESS! I’ll do anything for her!

First of all, there’s me. I’m Tommy Calder, and I’m 12. I like school, but I’m not all that smart. I get B’s in everything except Science class. I like running experiments. Sandy Hughes is my lab partner. She’s really smart and cute. She lives across the street. I think we’re going to get married when we grow up.

Billy Walters is my best friend. He’s so cool, and he’s the best at everything: gym, math, and he helps me with my English homework. He even let me try one of his cigarettes last week. (I don’t know what he likes about them.) We have a split homeroom, and Billy sits behind Flat Frannie, one of the Eighth graders. He can unhook her training bra in one second flat. She puts up with it, since I think she has a crush on him. (All the girls do, even the Eighth-graders.) He tried to teach me how, but when I tried to unhook Laura Ann’s, she slapped me. She’s got the real thing, but I think it hooks in the front. Anyway, I got paddled. That hurt, but Billy thought it was cool, so I feel a little better. After school, he convinced Rhonda Lee to let me practise on her. She’s really pretty, and has a real one, too. I don’t know what Billy promised her, but she let me try as many times as I needed. She even let me hook it back together once. How cool can you get? Billy told me he was walking her home, but I’d swear she lived on Edgewood. They went down Pinewood instead. It’s a new street that only has a couple of houses that nobody lives in yet. Maybe they wanted to talk or something.

I learned today: How to unhook a girl’s bra through her blouse.