The plan was to to take the entire 7th grade class on a surprise trip to the beach one morning. They told us to bring cameras and towels and sunscreen.
I was so happy, because my dad had just given me his old Nikon super camera, and I really wanted to use it. I really just wanted to take pictures of all those happy 7th grade couples. Mostly I just wanted to take a picture of that asshole Craig Straiznik and his girlfriend Cate Meagher (pronounced Mar). I don't know. I really wanted to make her happy, because she was with one of the biggest pricks in the school. I can honestly say that I didn't have a crush on her, I just felt terrible that anyone would have to be near Craig.
Anyway, I brought my expensive Nikon into school and the teachers announced that we wouldn't be going because it was too rainy. So instead we just had a sort of day long recess where we could walk around our floor, just socializing with all of the other classes. I still took pictures of people, but not in the way that I wanted to, with the sun and the beach and the smiles and stuff. I took pictures of my teachers.
And then on a different day (I think) we were in English class with Mr. Tacelli. He was sick a lot, and I don't think I ever put two and two together.
We had all done bad on a test towards the end of the year, and he made up for it by giving us one of two things: the best grade we had received on a big test in the past few weeks, or a 100. I don't remember exactly how that worked. But I got one-hundred.
And he handed out these cards with a quote on them. It was Elenor Roosevelt's quote: "No one can make you feel inferior without your consent." It was kind of tearjerker day for me, because, like Anthony said, 7th grade is when everything happens.
He was a great teacher. The next year I wrote a letter to him. He wrote back, calling me "Rusty" from when I bleached my hair. It was nice hearing from him again. The next time I heard anything about him it was from my dad, who told me that his obituary was in the paper.
And that's why I miss seventh grade so much. And for some reason, that's why that cheesy "Graduation" song by Vitamin C is always the trigger to remember those last few days. Man, I feel like crap.