I walked into the Ft. Labeouf High Schools administrative front office. I plunked down a handfull of text books. I then asked the lady behind the counter sitting at her desk if I needed to sign something to prove I returned these books before I leave here for good. She came to me with a look of concern on her face. No smile, no good morning greeting.
I had said this rather loudly and the next thing I heard was Mr. Louie Dove the assistant principle shout from his office...
"Are you sure you want to do that mister briggsy?"
Uhhhgg.!
I hated being called that almost as much as I hated that asshole Louie Dove. The nickname was given to several of my siblings who came before me. I went on to hear this nickname later on in life in a scary situation that maybe I will post about someday. It seemed to be that anyone who called us that had little to no love for my family. I payed several times in life for the sins of my forefathers. One of the main reasons I live over a thousand miles south of Pennyl-Tucky. What a horrible place that is. Now after last week it has left another black mark on history.
Louie Dove
The one everyone made fun of. The assistant principle and bozo the clown of the school. Louie was a little guy, maybe 5' foot 4" balding with the sides still snow white and waddled like a duck or a keystone cop when he walked.
My reply was...
"I already have"
Nothing more was said. This still bothers me to this day that no one pulled me aside and said, "DO NOT DO THIS.!" I had taken several books back and given them to a couple teachers that I liked and had respect for. They had long conversations with me trying to persued me into not leaving school. But they were the really laid back and cool kinds of teachers that wished me well in the next chapter of my life. You see it was quite common back in those days for young men in Pennsyl-Tucky to leave school early to work full time on the farms.
My Old Pennsyl-Tucky Home
My life was in termoil at the time. My father was entering into his 2nd divorce. My step mother had accused me of being the reason. I was torn apart by that accusation. This effected me in many horrible ways that I do not wish to write about here today. Lets just say I had spent the first 18 years of my life thinking I was the reason for the 1st disintegration and destruction of my family. I was only 3-4 years old when that happened. Still not over it. Never will be.
I do not remember the exact day that I "quit school" as they say. But it was the week after my 18th birthday. So I was of legal age to sign myself out.
I have worked steady and hard all of my life since.
My father left school in 8th grade to work on the farms. My brother also in 8th. My little sister was throw out into the streets at 15 year of age by my dysfunctional birth mother. So she also did not finish school. Not something that I speak of with many people about as some will look down on those who leave school early. Never considering the sometimes horribly out of control situations these people may be in causing them to do so.
My 1st Love
My life has been full of strange and ironic circumstances. As I stood in that office waiting for my paperwork to sign. In "waddled" my ex girlfriend Michelle B. She was not 18 years of age, but also was signing out of school to get on with her next chapter of being a single teenage mother. She was ready to give birth any day so that was why she waddled. At 5' 2" she looked as big around as she was tall. It was strange but also bittersweet thing as she was my first real love. I wrote a post about that, you can read it here---> "The Summer of 79" or not. Your choice.
Imagine how ackward and ironic it was to be doing the exact same thing at the exact same time. That was a weird and brief conversation. In my mind she was s'posed to be my girl and having my child. Or so we fool ourselves into believing these things. It was many years after the "Summer of 79". We had both moved on...
I had passing grades when I left high school to work full time. I missed out on many good times. But I also kept in touch with my school days friends. Went to many football games, bon fire beer keg parties, and even went to the prom.
Sometimes I wonder what graduation would have been like. I bet it would have beat the school of hard knocks one that I think I am still perpetually attending.
Shout out to my Bro, 
Thanks as always for riding along with 
