Despite All Obstacles Part II

Lunch (B)uddies

BARBARA'S STORY

Thursday, September 6th

This morning.

I'm back for another day of Palm Trees Sr. High, where I learn for the better, sitting with my new lunch buddies at Lunch B. Today in music, I sat with them at the back/top row of music with my triangle as my instrument. I'm actually borrowing the triangle for the school year.

We had fun singing and playing a happy song called "Good Life" by One Republic. The song made me feel good somehow, because with these guys, I believe every lyric. Looking back at the song, I almost sang that one lyric that's unclean. The first time, I stopped half-way, the second time I stopped myself completely. I enjoy the song, just not that lyric.

"So, Barbara, do you have a nickname?" Ryan asks me, outta nowhere. Patt and Shortcake face me while chewing on veggie burgers. It's Vegetarian Thursday.

"It's Gracie, because Grace is my middle name," I tell him and Shortcake, since knowing once you get a nickname it's stuck with you forever.

"Okay, Gracie. That's a dope middle name. They just call me bro."

"And I'm Shortcake because I'm the shortest," Shortcake tells me, and she's also adorable, like a little kitten. I see why her Facebook name could be Goodbye Kitty, because Hello Kitty's from Tokyo and Shortcake's Chinese.

"Yep, speaking of middle names, my middle name is Jerrodd, with two R's and two D's. My moms named me after her pops' first name. My pops' last name is embarrassing. It's Hogsburg. Sounds country to me," Ryan tells me. I've never heard of that last name, but it sounds German. That could mean he's like the new Tahj Mowry with glasses. His poppa's German.

"My middle name is a mixture of both my first and last names. China Chi Xi. My last name actually means 'like' in Chinese," Shortcake tells me. I'm not sure if she's saying China Chi Shi or China Chi Zi, but I know it starts with an X. Her full name sounds real cool.

"What about you, Patt?" I happily ask him. Bro jerks his head with wide eyes towards him. I laugh like "Bro, why you goin' do him like that?". Shortcake also turns to Patt. Patt's staring at us like it's a dirty secret about to be exposed. C'mon, Patt. You know the nickname my momma gave me.

He sighs, like he's about to make a confession. "Okay. It's....Virgil." Bro, Shortcake and I gasp, dramatically. I'm so proud of him. Poor Patt. Took that needle off his chest.

"Go ahead, have your fun," Patt tells us with a pitiful smile, not liking his middle name.

"For all these years of friendship, I've never knew your middle name," Ryan says, smiling at him, "Buddy. We both have embarrassing names," he states the obvious. That makes three of us, especially as Barbie.

"Virgil sounds like a name that's made up in a nanosecond. You should know Matt has our dad's first name as his middle name," Patt admits while smiling, shaking his head.

"Vincent?" Ryan rhetorically asks Patt. Patt nods to him.

"Also, our parents didn't think they were going to have twins. Born three minutes later after Matt was born in the middle of a stormy night, being the only blonde in the house. Mom told us he was born at 3:06AM and I was born at 3:09AM. Dad told us they only saw one baby in their ultrasound. Patthew Virgil Thanksgiving was the best they got." He's not complaining, but I know he's telling the truth. I wanna twin too. Her name could be Christina, or Brenda.

"Matthew Vincent Thanksgiving. Patthew Virgil Thanksgiving. So, they actually named you after your brother," Ryan says the reality of Patt's full name.

"I've never heard of Thanksgiving being a last name before. I only heard of Valentine and St. Patrick," I say. Then, I heard Vincent Thanksgiving. "Wait. Is your father FOX 11's meteorologist?"