Chapter 9

Troubled in the 80’s

What can I say about the 80’s. Many remember this time as the decade of hair scrunchies, neon colors, and Aqua Net hair spray. I have different memories of this time. While many of the girls in my elementary school had their hair crimped and walked around with Lisa Frank accessories, I had crooked uncombed hair and a pencil. Now I’m not saying that I was the only poor kid in my schools, at most of them there were plenty of us. In total, I went to six different elementary schools. Most of them I entered in the middle of the year. Meaning I was always the “new student” and had to find friends when everybody already had their friend groups. I did manage to find a neighborhood group of friends when I was eight, but they only lasted for a year before I wasn’t allowed to play with them anymore.

Like many kids at the time, my siblings and I spent a lot of time alone without supervision. I