1979-1985

Timeline of Madge (part I).
May 1980 - Mt. St. Helens erupts and my parents scrape ash off the 'ol Ford Pinto.

June 1980 - My older sister, Emily, turns 3.

1981 in general - My first memory: dancing to my grandma's songs as she played the piano at a family wedding. She wore a blue dress.

September 1981 - 1983 - I start pre-school. My teacher, who I loved, was named Karen (during winter vacation, I missed her so much I telephoned her). My enemy was named Matt (he had curly hair and slogged me in the left arm when his girlfriend wanted the pillow I was sitting on for storytime). My favorite thing to do? Take naps on my cool yellow blanket.

September 1984/June 1985 - I start kindergarden at St. Stephen's. My teacher says, "Boys are stronger, but girls are smarter." She also throws shoes and chalkboard erasers at the naughty kids. I win a spot to perform on stage at a school assembly and when it is time for me to start my routine, I'm paralyzed by stage fright. My mom takes my sister and I on adventures all over Portland by public transportation. When we were on our way to an Italian market to buy fresh "green" pasta, the bus was crowded; my mom made sure my sister and I had places to sit, while she stood towards the back. Out of nowhere, the creepy stranger in front of me said, "How are you Madge?" I slid out of the seat and squished next to my older sister, a few seats back. I don't think it really phased my mom when Emily and I told her a stranger knew my name: "He probably heard me say it." On Halloween, I eat too many sweets and vomit a lot the next morning. That Halloween, and the few before it, I was always the same character: a mommy or a daddy (meaning I dressed up in my parents' clothes; but either way, I got to wear some lipstick).