Forgive my lack of memory, but I really don't remember that much about my pre-Kindergarten years.
Thanks to the memories my mom has shared with me over the years, and what little that I can remember, I can probably give you a little background on those five years.
At first, we lived in a two-bedroom, first-floor apartment in Warrensville Heights, Ohio, a southeast suburb of Cleveland.
One thing that I know was true back then, just as it was all my life, was that Mom, Dad, and I got less-appealing presents at Christmas, because Dad is Jewish (which makes me half-Jewish), whereas my aunt and her husband and daughter got the most appealing gifts, as they were Catholic. This was the extent of any mention of religion in my family, or at least in our household, until I was in high school.
While at the apartment, things changed much. Construction on what is now either I-271 or I-480 (no, I'm not sure which...sorry) went underway not too far from where we lived, and when we went on our walks through the neighborhood, I used to tell my mom, "Go see trucks." I am not sure why, but I loved watching the trucks. I must have had tomboy tendencies, although I was clearly a girl...except that my hair was slow to grow out, so was always short and scarce. My first haircut was probably not until after I turned 3.
By early 1973, the neighborhood started changing. The apartments were partially broken in to more than once. Not completely broken in to, and not entered...just the bottom locks were undone, and the doors left ajar, but the security chains were left intact. Because of the changes that were undoubtedly taking place, many families left the area, and we were no exception.
Shortly after my 3rd birthday, we moved to a 2-bedroom bungalow house in South Euclid. My parents still live there, and I have also, on and off in my adult years.
After the move, I wanted to "see Old Numbers House." I guess the numbers on both places got my attention, because the apartment then became "Old Numbers House," and the house was, I think, "New Numbers House."
One thing about me back then: I was a smart cookie. I started reading store signs backwards even...which is something I can, and still, do frequently. I could read and write, period, before I started kindergarten...not everyone can say that.
In South Euclid, I had three or four playmates, all of whom lived on our block, and all of whom were already in elementary school, as at 3 and 4 years old, I was the youngest. We were pretty darn close in those days, and remained close until shortly after I started first grade. I guess, when the going really gets tough, you find out who your real friends are...and they weren't really friends when the going got tough for me. But, I'll get more in to that in a future post.
I have a vague memory of one of our first winters at the house. I think I was 4 1/2, but I may have only been 3 1/2. Whichever...it was clearly snowing, much. And Mom wanted me to play in the front yard by myself for a little while. After all, I was supposed to be a big girl now. No sooner did she go back in the house, than I started crying, as though I thought someone was going to come and kill me or something. I don't remember how we resolved that little problem. So, I didn't like to be alone without Mom. But other than that, I was just as sweet and normal as could be.
By the time I started kindergarten, I was just a sweet little angel...with sometimes a silly sense of humor. But, I was...just a sweet little angel. Not all that talkative, but not painfully shy either. The painful shyness--my protective shell--was to come shortly thereafter, and has not left me completely.
