Spelling Bee

I am submitting this post because it relates to the last one and to the one coming tomorrow.

My sixth grade teacher at Southside Elementary was Mrs. Funk. My father had her, my sister had her, and now it was my turn. Every Friday we had a spelling test of 25 words. Every week I earned a perfect score, except once. I spelled control . . . controll. Maybe I was thinking about the Troll dolls I used to spend hours playing with. In our classroom spelling bees, I was usually the last one standing.

I had one childhood regret (that I remember). We had a spelling bee in the gymnasium, and I was doing well. I began to think, "If I win, I will have to go to an out-of-town competition." Something scary for a shy girl. I misspelled a word -- on purpose. I spelled canteen . . . cantene. Now, the consequences of that decision were really only singular to me; but when I told my father what I had done and why, the disappointment on his face needed no additional words. In a 7th-grade Bee, I misspelled conscience -- now I always remember it is like con-science. I did have another chance to travel to a competition. Funny thing . . . I don't remember what word I missed then.

Even though I can spell Eucalyptus . . . I would rather live on Oak Street, too :) See why HERE.