Memoir+Ethan+C

Ethan’s Memoir By: Ethan Crock

Life chucks curveballs at you, and somehow you have to overcome it. Fourth grade is a grade of learning immense lessons. One time when I was in fourth grade, there was this kid named Nick who everyday he would be sitting by himself at his own table at lunch. It seamed that everything that Nick ate, did, how he did it, what he wore, and how he talked was so funny so kids had to laugh and make a joke of it. I on the other hand felt bad for him. He had no friends and was always trying to fit in but when he says, “Hey guys!” Nick just gets rejected and laughed at every time he tries to fit in. I felt so bad for him and had come to a conclusion that next lunch I would take up the guts and go and sit with Nick. But of course self centered me, doesn’t want to be in his position, so I go back and sit with the popular kids. The good thing for both of our sakes is that I talk to him when we are plodding around in p.e. That makes it so he will feel better about himself and I will feel better inside. It cracks a smile on my face when I do something good for him. I feel good inside. In my mind, I am his only kind of “friend”, so he questions me, “Do you want to hang out? I usually reply,

“No, I have homework” when I really don’t I just don’t want to hang out with Nick.

But one time I went to a movie with him as well as his mom. Nick was so ecstatic once I got there. He was so proud to finally go to a movie with a friend from school. While we were driving to the movie, his mom exclaimed,

“Ethan, you are the first friend to come over to Nick’s that whole year.”

Then, I realized the torment and what we had done to his feelings and his life in general.

Unfortunately, about a week after that movie and grateful experience, Nick moved out of town to a new school where he would hopefully have better luck with friends and fitting in. Nick really showed me what we treated him like and how it interfered with his life and self-confidence. Now I know what to do when I meet another guy or girl like him. Treat them with love and respect. How this changed my life is that I now will open my eyes and mind to new and wonderful friendships. Nick is now one of my role models because he never rebelled back against us even when we put him through one of the worst times of his life. I will always stand my ground because of Nick. Only if life didn’t have curveballs to test our abilities, I would be perfect and same with everyone else.