May 6

It's May! It's May! The lusty month of May!

 1965

Well, I was o.k. today, too! Smiled at 5, talked to 8 and that makes 13! Tomorrow is "slave day". That means there will be an auction of slave-volunteers to "owners". There will be a banquet and dance that night. V is a slave and I'd like to bid for him, but it would let everything out of the bag. Also, he might not want me to buy him. So sometime tomorrow I'm going to ask him about it. If he doesn't want me to, as least then I'll know for sure.

Comments 2006

My comment:

So much comment fodder today! First, how sad is it that I was so tongue-tied around boys that I counted how many I spoke to in single digits. As I recall, that included saying "hi" passing in the corridor.

Second -- a slave auction as a fundraiser! Now there's a cultural artifact that's gone the way of white gloves and calling cards. For what it's worth, it was styled as something Roman (togas on the slaves) not American. There was a kind of a sexual undercurrent, as the "slave" candidates were usually the cutest unattached kids in the school. It wouldn't do to auction off someone's actual boyfriend.

Third, I love how my crush on V keeps resurfacing, despite all my protestations. But wait.

Other reader’s comment

I seem to recall that Calhoun County High School (or was it one of the middle schools?) had similar slave auctions. ::shudder:: I always found something really wrong about it, but I had a hard time articulating it to my peers. Maybe it was the odd sexual overtone in my isolated, Christian home county. Maybe it was the Caucasian homogeneity that blinded people to the historical wrongness of the idea. Dunno. But yeah, school slave auctions as recent as my lifetime.

It's like something out of a Michael Moore skit. Or a Christopher Guest movie.

And I replied:

There were definitely sexual undertones there. The girl who eventually went for the highest price -- Claire -- was very pretty and flirtatious, and definitely unattached. Oh, and if you search on high school "slave auction" fundraiser, you'll be amazed at how common this event still is!

Comment 2023 

A quick Google search turns up a “slave auction fundraiser” as recently as 2022.

1981

The last day of classes (if you ignore summer school starting May 18). My period started today, unexpectedly. Now that I am off the pill I don’t really know what is “normal”. I went on the pill when I was 19 - - 13 years ago. I wonder how many children I might have had without it. Idle speculation, I know. But now I am feeling - - or beginning to feel - - a truly irrational desire to be a mother. Not nearly as irrational as falling love with Jim, I’ll admit, but close. Maybe it’s part of this sense of mortality that has closed in on me since Marley* died. I do only have one life . Any more would be a pleasant surprise, but not something I can count on.

*Marley:

1985

It’s been a very pleasant week or so. Kiddo has been more cooperative, the weather has been lovely, work is winding down. Never mind that summer session is a month off. In the meantime, I’ll enjoy the pace of my favorite month. The yard is taking shape and looking nicer, inch by inch. By the end of the month, I should have my little garden out by the house…some tomatoes, eggplant, peppers, herbs, flowers…well, can’t get too ambitious. Where will the strawberries go? That’s a thought. There are 7 or 8 very healthy plants back at the old house. Ah yes…May.

1997

A leisurely day (lovely!) to be spent mostly at home, with a class and then a meeting, and then a break. I wish I could help you through 15, Kiddo.

1998

I believe I am happier with my surroundings that I once was. There is still clutter - but not as much. And the house has stayed pretty clear since the beginning of the year. I stopped making housework lists in November, I think, but it has still been ok.

Comment 2023

All I can say is:

Current status 2023

What better amusement on a sunny Saturday in May than strolling the best Sheep and Wool Festival in the US with a yarn-loving friend? I can’t think of one. Now back to The List!