I met duck pond Debbie before computers
before answering machines
before...well, I better stop.
I’m not sure met is the right word.
I was five years old (maybe four, maybe six)
Life hadn’t beaten the crap out of me yet,
so I was friendly and sweet.
A girl close to my age was at the edge of the pond, next to me.
“Hi! I’m Wendy” I said without hesitation. “What’s your name?”
She didn’t even look at me.
She just spat out her name:
“Debbie.”
That was it.
Debbie.
Then Debbie scurried away.
Huh?
Did I do something wrong?
Why wouldn’t she at least say hello?
Did I not act the right way?
Did I, maybe…suck?
Duck pond Debbie has been with me all these years.
And there’s been a lot of them.
Did I mention almost no one had microwave ovens then?
Every new person I meet could be Debbie
Some people I have met have been Debbie.
You could be Debbie.
I have a new therapist.
Through Rational Emotive Therapy,
he is going to help me say goodbye to duck pond Debbie.
Just as I no longer need to live in a world without computers or answering machines,
I no longer need to live with duck pond Debbie.
I can’t say I’ll miss her.
Intriguing story. Nicely written.
Thanks!
I would have felt uneasy with her reaction too. It was a seed that planted a doubt that something was done and did wrong when there was nothing done wrong.
Nice piece.;))
Thank you, Fia.
I don’t trust anyone named Debbie with the exception of Debbie Harry and the adult star in Debbie Does Dallas. Triple D mind you …
The rest of the Debbie’s can suck my ass ….
BIG WENDY LIKE
Big thanks. It’s funny how names impact us. I have a good friend named Debbie, so she has helped blot out the mini bitch Debbie. I attract a lot of Steves, but maybe that’s because about 1 out of 3 guys used to be named Steve.