when I went to live with my mom
she put me in this weird private school
that was across the street
the owner asked me
towards the end of the school year
where I was going on summer vacation
& I told her there wasn't a summer vacation
because THAT is what my mom had said
spent that money on tuition
mrs. J the owner SAID
oh, come with us
we're going back to my mom's for vacation
I didn't want to
I didn't want to be that up close and personal
with the woman who ran the school
BUT
my mom made it CLEAR
SHE thought it was a good opportunity
& if I didn't
SHE would make SURE
I regretted it
SO
I went
& I saw some battleship
because her son was
into that kinda stuff
mystic seaport
stirbridge village
the liberty bell
newport mansions
& since I had had this "great opportunity"
my gran gran and aunt joan and my mom
ALL gave me money to spend
& we saw the mayflower and I'm all LIKE
I think this is the one I'm related to
I was LIKE eleven
BUT
THAT was a BIG mistake
because they were portuguese
& there's a whole cultural
thing in that area
that I was unaware of
& I think I must have said some things
that I got from some adult
probably my mom
that gave her
SOME IDEA
that I was
ELITE
or something
in my pathetic hand me down polyester double knit pants
& my total inability to do
being around people
properly
I think I said something about
they'd sell the mansions
if you waved enough
MONEY at 'em
I knocked over a drink at dinner
because my table manners
we're apparently
SHOCKING
& I put my drink on the wrong side
I had trouble for the rest of my time at that school just like I thought I would
& I'm not really sure
WHY
SO
it was just another case of
I wish I'd listened to myself instead of my mom
BUT
I DID get the trip
& I was gonna have trouble either way
THAT was ALSO
the trip where I met red jasper
I was on a seashore somewhere
that was rock instead of sand
I picked it up
the piece of red jasper
& it spoke to me
I can't remember what it said
BUT
it was a strong connection
