Retrospect: Judy

Self-tutoring about people and events from the past: the tutor mentions a good memory.

When I arrived at a new elementary school in April, grade 4, I think Judy might’ve been in my class. Yet, it had more than 25 kids, and Judy wasn’t the kind who stood out. Even so, I think she lurked there, at the back of one of the columns. As a late arrival, I sat in the first desk available, near the door, near the front.

It took awhile to get my feet under me in that school, which was much bigger than I’d attended – 700 kids. Though relatively friendly, the hallways and schoolyard were chaotic, and of course everyone else knew what they were doing, where they were going, etc. During April, May, and June of that year, I never realized half of the kids in my class. A few were always in the limelight, Larry being one.

Somehow, when grade 5 started that sunny September (it’s always beautiful in the Annapolis Valley in September), I returned to the school a veteran. The first week I knew the layout of the class, all the other places in the school I needed to go, when and where to line up for lunch…everything. This classroom had two doors. I still sat near the door, but the back one this time. Right behind me, at the very back of the column, sat Judy.

Judy wasn’t noticeable. She dressed plain and she was plain – a true country girl. Yet, she wasn’t a farmer. (I don’t, to this day, know what her parents’ jobs were.)

Judy was quiet – at first. However, since she sat behind me, things would come up sometimes. She wasn’t talkative, but did mention news.

School was easy for me, but sometimes the work was quite boring. Moreover, we had these English exercise books we were supposed to work from when we’d finished our assigned work — those exercises were SO BORING!

One day I was finished my math but Judy wasn’t. I sat at my desk, daydreaming. “Get out that English book,” Judy hissed from behind me. “Get to work!” I checked the teacher wasn’t looking, then turned around and gave Judy a withering look. She looked back down at her math. “No talking,” she whispered. I turned back around, not wanting to be caught. When I did, she punched me lightly on the shoulder. “Mind your own business,” she hissed. “Keep your eyes on your work.”

Of course, Judy and I were friends from then on. Kids can be like that: their communication is easy.

As the weeks passed I realized that our teacher, though hard-working, was old enough that she hadn’t the energy to punish every transgression. Moreover, she had a few students who eroded her stamina (once again: Larry being one.) Therefore, anyone who did their work could get away with discreet chatting. Judy and I got on that bandwagon, mainly with each other.

Judy was a local girl, of course, whereas I was a transplant. Therefore, she had a life developed around other local people and places — I had none of that. She’d mention going to this town or that town for this reason or that reason. Sometimes I made fun of the way she’d pronounce a town’s name because she would say it the “local” way rather than how it was spelled. Looking back, I realize that while Judy was smart, even at that age, she realized that pragmatism counted way more than intellect. I had the opposite point of view until decades later. Likely she thought I was a moron, even if school was easy for me. Yet, we liked each other, simple as that.

Of course, we had to pretend we didn’t like each other, to shield ourselves from bullying as well as mutual vulnerability. For instance, we gave each other insulting valentines that year.

Our friendship grew. We were never boyfriend and girlfriend or anything like that, but she might have been my first real friend who happened to be a girl. I wouldn’t have another of those for many years.

Summer came and we said our farewells. The following autumn, we were in different grade 6 classes. The higher grades drew more students from further away, so last year’s grade 5s were diluted among many more grade 6s. If someone wasn’t in your class, you might never see them by chance alone. Moreover, Judy wasn’t one to attract attention.

After grade 7 I moved away – I haven’t been to that area in 35 years. Yet I fondly remember the jeers and pokes from that sprightly girl who sat behind me, way back then.

Jack of Oracle Tutoring by Jack and Diane, Campbell River, BC.