In 1960, I became a freshman in Shelby High School. Back in those days the country kids went from kindergarten through 8th grade in the nearest small country school, and I felt very nervous being thrown in with a lot of kids I didn't know. All the town kids had always gone to school in town so I didn't know any of them. To add to that fact, I was very shy. I felt very miserable and alone.

I did finally meet a couple of other girls who were just as lost and confused as I was. We were considered the outsiders, the country hicks. We formed our own little group and ignored the stuck-up townies.

Things started looking a little better to me, and I thought that maybe I would survive after all. I even became interested in a boy in our class and longed to become a friend or maybe even a girlfriend of his.

You can just imagine my joy when the history teacher placed me at the same table and right next to this boy I wanted to meet. It was like my dream came true. We began talking with each other and he was interested and seemed to like me. I looked forward to history class every day.

One Monday I woke up with a headache, and mom wanted me to stay home from school. I told mom I would be fine. I sure didn't want to miss a day of sitting next to my hopefully- boyfriend.

History class finally arrived, and I took my seat next to my intended boyfriend. By this time, I was really starting to feel rotten, and wished I had listened to my Mom and stayed home. 'I'll go home after this class is over', I thought to myself.

Then, without warning the worst thing you could imagine happened. My boyfriend- to- be said something to me, and when I leaned over to answer him I promptly threw up right in his lap. It wasn't just a little barf either; it was a nasty full blown barf. One of those that sneak up on you and you can't stop.

The poor boy let out a screech and tipped his chair over getting out of there. Books and papers flew everywhere. The whole class was gagging and staring at me like I was some kind of a leper. If I could have curled up and died that moment I would have welcomed it. I have never been so embarrassed before or since.

Of course, this didn't do much for any potential relationship with this boy. He avoided me like the plague for a long time and refused to sit by me in history class anymore. Can't say as I blame him, nobody likes to be barfed on.

We never did become boyfriend and girlfriend, but we both learned to laugh about the whole incident before we graduated from high school.