In the past month, millions of parents have spent millions of dollars on back-to-school clothes, shoes, back packs and school supplies. I remember when my mom took me back-to-school shopping; it was like an early Christmas. I remember how excited I would get over my new backpack, and how I hoped that my mom would give in and let me get the pencils with the figurine erasers on the ends or gym shoes with lights in them.

Then as I got into junior high and high school, it was all about getting to go over to Williston to Maurice’s and JCPenney to get the awesome clothes; I could care less about what I had to write with. I would love to take a day to go “back to school” shopping with my mom again; and I would especially enjoy the part where she gets to pay!

My fondest elementary school memory would definitely be when I was in the first grade. Toward the end of every school year we always had the big day of who could run, jump and throw the best – “Play Day.” I was waiting in line at the long jump box when I felt that sudden urge to have to pee. I was next in line, so I figured I would just hold it for another minute, it would be fine. My turn came up, I ran, I jumped, I peed and ran some more! I ran what felt like miles trying to get back to my classroom before anyone would see that I had indeed peed in my pants. In my first-grade classroom we had a bathroom just off in the corner, I went and locked myself in, not knowing what to do about this terrible situation. Then I heard all of the kids come shuffling back into the classroom, and all I could do was cry. My life was over. Everyone was going to think I was disgusting, and they are all going to laugh and make fun of me.

Then there was a knock on the bathroom door, and at first I didn’t say anything. Then there was another knock, and I slowly cracked open the door and there stood my teacher, Mrs. Williams. She asked me what was going on, and all I could do was cry. She opened the door and came in and saw I had peed my pants.

She just said, “It will be OK, stay in here, and I will call your mom and get you some new clothes to wear.” When I got some dry clothes and came out of the bathroom completely embarrassed, one of the boys in my class asked me if I peed my pants, and Mrs. Williams cut in and said, “No she did not pee her pants. That sink has been acting up and shooting water out all over when you turn it on too fast. Be careful when you use that sink so you don’t get soaked too.”

Mrs. Williams forever will be my favorite teacher all because of that one day in my life that I peed in my pants. I think situations like these are what define who you look up to when you are a child.

Now the reason why I don’t care that my secret got out is because I was the only girl in my class from third grade until eighth grade. But in those years of it being me and four boys; three of them having been there since my first-grade accident, and the other in the third, there were no secrets. Between truth and dare and whatever other childhood tell-the-truth games, what really happened in the first-grade bathroom eventually came out. I finally confessed what really happened.

Now, the reason why I look back and laugh at this memory is because in my senior year we did the all famous “Senior Skip Day.” Most of my class loaded up and headed out to Seven Sisters to go fishing. Tator (aka Nathan), knowing how much I hated worms, found it necessary to chase me around and eventually catch me and drop a nasty ole worm right down the back of my pants. Then it happened again; my first grade disaster was back to haunt me. Eighteen years old and yet again peed in my pants. I, to this day, am a firm believer of the phrase, “I was so scared I nearly peed my pants!” Sometimes it isn’t just nearly!

To all the new and returning students, I would like to say welcome back to school. I look forward to having the opportunity to report all of your achievements to the community!

Good luck this year, make it your best!

“A good deed is like peeing in your pants. Everyone knows you did it, but only you can feel its warmth.”

– Unknown