ON A RECENT WEEKLY BLOG perusal, I came across these photos in a post titled Field Day. And all at once I was flooded with memories of this time of year 15, 16, 17 years ago when the whole elementary school would relocate to the comfort of the expansive track field and metal bleachers at the high school for a full day of field games and watermelon (and of course, that colorful parachute-like thing). So this elementary school scene got me thinking and thinking about my tried and true sisters of those days. The girls with whom I spoke made-up languages and I played outside until dark.
From left: T, Jamie, my dearest childhood friend Amanda (big sister to Jamie), and me
Along with our classmates and the neighborhood kids, T and I spent so many summer evenings on the quiet street in front of our house. We played and pretended–we pretended to be royalty and beach-goers and parents. Since we were always pretending, now it’s hard to remember what really happened and what happened in our collective make-believe minds. I think I prefer memories like that.
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I was always quite a fan of the colorful parachute. Just the other day I was asking a friend (who studied PE in college) what exactly was the purpose behind throwing it up in the air, watching it fall and occasionally creating a “tent” by sitting underneath it… Good times.
Once in 6th grade while we were playing with this parachute-like thing, the kid standing next to me got his hand in my mouth through the fabric during a scramble to get underneath the parachute. His nails caught my braces and it pulled the wire on my top teeth out half-way. It hurt like crazy and I had this huge wire dangling out of my mouth. I looked like a total freak. I got to leave school for an emergency orthodontist appointment, but I was so embarrassed! (Kate, I know you’ve heard that story, but I thought I’d share it with the rest of the readership).
Does anyone else have a good gym class parachute story?
I don’t have a good story about it, but I hadn’t thought about it in more than ten years and i just remembered how much I loved creating a bubble tent with it.
That parachute thingie is a generational marker. My son (born in ’79) doesn’t recall ever having that in PE while my daughter, (born in ’83) has an instant warm reaction whenever she sees one on TV or in a photo.
As to your orthodontic mishap, my daughter was bonked so hard on the nose with a hoola hoop at a “summer fun camp” she had to sit out the rest of the morning with an ice pack. The swelling/bruising was spectacularly awful looking and lasted for weeks. Summer fun indeed!
oh i LOVED that awesome parachute thing. we used to do that too.
Welcome D, how funny that the gym class parachute was born between your two children! Luckily the braces “incident” hasn’t tarnished my excitement for the parachute. I still smile whenever I see one (much like your second child, it seems). I hope hula hoops are still happy for her!
And hello Joanna, welcome to The Sister Project! Glad to see you’re a lover of the parachute as well. I think the photos above were taken in Japan–so the gym class parachute must be a cross-cultural adoration!
The parachute was nice, but the giant globe ball that you pushed up and down the field with 30 other kids was better.
Jamie’s costume is AWESOME
Jessica, you’re so right! The “earth ball” was so crazy!! I don’t know, however, if it is as widely used as the parachute.
I loved the earth ball, but I was also worried about it running over me… followed by a stampede of 30 other kids!