I thinking?!” or “could I have really been that stupid?” I assure you that I have a

multitude of such memories, but the one that stands out in my mind was an experience

that not only questioned my maturity or brain-power, but also changed the way I live my

I will never forget that hot, sticky day in late July. I was 7 years old and ready to

start the second grade at the East Bay School of the Performing Arts. I was at the

pinnacle of maturity, intelligence and, best of all, invincibility. Nothing could stop me;

not the flu, not my mother leaning half backwards outside the back window to “clean

[my] room!” and certainly not the disease or “unfortunate accidents” that happened to

softly clicking against the door, I felt as though I were in a dream. I hardly noticed at the

instinctively reached for my seat belt but glanced sideways to see what she was doing.

thinking? Could I have really been that stupid?” The importance of the way in which I

Some topics in this essay:
Performing Arts, Antonio Ave, Lesson Throughout, seat belt, common sense, “big girl”,