High School, 1964 (Great Neck, NY)

for Cheryl, class of 1964

38 years later I looked across the table
and saw a face from high school
"remember me?" I asked . . .
oh yes — she remembered my long brown curly hair
her mother holding me up as a role model
what a different view

I thought of myself as one of the square pegs
always trying but never fitting in
a bony big-hipped teen
thinking contact lenses
would help me be more attractive
never imagining someone could be envious of me
and my long brown curly hair


copyright 2002 Linda H. Feinberg

I met Cheryl again when at a retreat center in the summer of 2002. It was a strange feeling to look across the table and actually recognize someone from my past. I left NY after high school (1964) and while I returned a number of times, I wandered for many years before finally settling down in New Hampshire in 1979.

The long brown curly hair is long gone, but I grew out my grey/white hair for over one year, had it cut (10 inch braids) and donated it. It feels good to be short again for the summer, but I enjoyed the long hair while I had it. Still curly. Glad I'm not a teenager today. It was rough enough in the 60's. Oh yes, I still have the hips, but I'm definitely not bony any more.