by MotorSquirrel

Created on: May 06, 2008   Last Updated: October 31, 2008

If you have ever seen The Oprah Winfrey Show, you would know that sometimes her show actually has relevance to "us normal people". You know, the ones that are not billionaires. On one show in particular she made a statement that had a huge impact on my life. She said "All of us have one defining moment in our life that will shape the rest of our life." I believe that is a true statement based on the following experience.

On August 18th, 1980, I was enjoying my first week back from summer break in Mrs. Haas' fifth grade class at New Hanover Upper Frederick Elementary School. I was wearing my sister's hand-me-down blue cord jeans and my new favorite pink and white striped shirt with a thin ribbon tied from the collar. I remember being pretty happy despite being surrounded by kids who didn't really talk to me. I can't really blame them, since I was the new kid in school again for the fifth year in a row. I hoped that this year would be different, and it was, but horribly different. On that first day of school, I received tragic news that changed my life.

Right before lunchtime, there was a knock on the door. Everyone's eyes were on the teacher, wondering what was going on. There was the Principal! All the kids started whispering to each other and looking around. "Uh-oh, someone's in trouble now," I thought. I couldn't hear what the teacher and principal were saying. Then Mrs. Haas shut the door and told the class to start reading our library books until the bell rang. As I was rummaging through my belongings to find my library book, she tapped me on the shoulder and said in a soft voice, "Theresa, I need you to do me a favor and take this envelope to the Principal's office." "Okay." I said nervously, thinking I haven't done anything to get in trouble. Then I thought, "The teacher must really like me. That's why I get the privilege to personally deliver an important letter to the principal!" Mrs. Haas smiled at me as I walked out of the room. I walked down the long hall to the office.

When I arrived, the school secretary was cheerful as she greeted me with a big smile on her face, "Oh, you must be Theresa." "Mmm Hmm," I said. Then the Principal came into the room. He was wearing a typical old-man polyester style suit with a fancy scarf poofing out of the left pocket. "Hi, Theresa. I'm Mr. YvesCavage." I immediately thought Mr.Yes Cabbage - what a name! I didn't want to get in trouble, so I laughed to myself on the inside. "Hi," I said. "Theresa, let's go have a seat

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