Stories from an Empty Classroom

Journal 4

Think about a place you remember fondly from your childhood. Describe this place and what it meant to you. This can be somewhere you still visit.

Typically, I don't remember what I had for dinner the night before. But! Right now I remember clearly that I had a Peanut Butter and Honey Sandwich last night so maybe I'll think of something.

My childhood is filled with memories of the airport. I know that travelling is good for a lot of people and that it seems fun, but I don't remember exactly what I did in all of those places, just that we were in an airport. When I was six-eight months old I went on my first plane ride. I only know this because my mom won't shut up about her gloriously sassing the flight attendant about me.

I remember, when I was around 5 (though this is more of a spectator memory) I cartwheeled across the deck of an AF cargo plane with other children, took a nap with one of my friends on the air mattress his parents had brought, and ate microwaved McDonald's French Fries and a chocolate bar with my sister and 5 other children on the ledge of the sleeping bunk (located just above the cockpit. Most of our parents were too tired, or asleep to care. Fries and chocolate provided by the very nice navigator lady who had bought them for the seven of us when we made a pit stop.)

I remember colouring in my mother's colouring book on a different AF cargo plane ride when I was about 8. There was one other child there who was my age, don't remember gender because they didn't seem to have one to me. Acted a bit both, dressed a bit both, talked a bit both, looked a bit both. And because children aren't judgey, I didn't question it.

The only other really clear memory from my childhood is watching Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (which one, I can't remember) on the ceiling (the movie was on the ceiling, not me) at a sleepover at my best friend's house at 11 o'clock at night.