Do birds of a feather flock together?

Unfortunately, with all of my looking I couldn't find my 3rd grade picture. When I head back to my parents house I'm going to see if I can track it down. I would love to complete the collection...

Anyway, it's amazing when you think about it. Our social structure teaches us that birds of a feather flock together. But really? That's never been true in my experience. The other gentleman of color in this picture is Jim. Jim and I have been social, but never really close. Our Mom's were close to each other and even now - if we want to say "hi" to each other, we'll go through our parents to do so.

But Jim and I never really fully clicked.

And he always seamed to fit in better than I did.

I think last year I talked about the first time that I actually cried in public. This was the class that I cried in front of.

It was during art class. We were doing a project on film - where we were supposed to break up into groups, create a story board of our movie project, then go outside and film it. I was excited by the whole concept - and was looking forward to doing this with my friends.

When no one wanted me to be in their group the notion that I was "different" hit me like a ton of bricks. I mean... not even Jim wanted me in his group.

I tried to hold it together as I went from "friend" to "friend". I eventually walked over to the counter by the sink (because all elementary schools there had sinks in them...) buried my head on my bent knee and openly cried.

Honestly, I love the city that I grew up in because I got an incredible education. Hate it for the emotional scarring.

I was in 2 films that day. The only person that was in 2...

And that was the last day that I ever stopped asking anyone for anything.

I was going to be content in learning how to roll alone.

And that was the last year at Stokes that Jim and I were in the same class.