Redheaded Jill

When I was in high school I took journalism and eventually became a writer for the editorial page.

A friend and I made a column called “Fonzie Says” about Fonzie from Happy Days. He gave a thumbs up to things I liked and a thumbs down to things I didn’t.

My senior year of high school every morning when I was trying to get to my class there was a crowd of “popular kids” who stood right next to my locker clogging the hallway. I had to push through them every morning. They were super rude, super loud, and in the way.

One day I included that group in the thumbs down half of my column. I didn’t call them by name, but it was a small school.

The day after the article was published I got to school and a boy (who I had been in class with since kindergarten, who I have seen cry and have epic tantrums at least 100 times) shouted, “Look out! Here comes Regan. We wouldn’t want to be in her way.” And like the red sea the crowd of cretins parted. I smiled my most genuine smile and said, “Wow! Thanks guys!” And walked to class, for once… on time.

They got their revenge because when it was time to publish the yearbook instead of using the nice senior photo I had taken they used the crummy school ID photo… But I have to say it was worth it.