“I don’t remember anyone ever standing in line to choose their body.” was what my father said when he saw I was self conscious of my outrageous height. It’s hard enough to be a teen-ager, but throw in anything different and it leaves one vulnerable to endless embarrassment and isolation.
It took me a long time to feel comfortable in my own skin, and I thought I was the only one. Then I shared my sad teen years with scores of other friends in college and I was amazed to find that they all had the same feelings about their situation in high school. One was fat, one had acne, another had a father in jail, bad hair, no opportunity, withered hand, one even said he felt too perfect.
How could I have known that the teen years would be the hardest years of my life? Why didn’t people warn me about this? When you turn 13 they ought to sit you down and say, “The next 6 years are going to be tough, you’ll never feel more like the whole world is on top of you in a giant dog pile, but survive this and you’ll be okay.” If you’re a teen and nobody told you this yet, then I’m telling you now.
I can relate to the teen years thing. I was in high school at the age of 12. Yeah….But, on the flip-side, I learned the skills necessary to be good in track and Tae Kwon Do. It still took the bullies a couple of years to stop messing with me, but eventually they did
When I was in high school I asked my mom if she would be 16 again if she could. She laughed and said she’d never, ever go back to that age. High school was rough, but if I could go back I’d still turn it down. Now 23, post college but pre-responsibility… that was where it was at.
Was there maybe a bonus page?
Same feeling here. My childhood has not been spectacularly horrible in any visible way, but there’s nothing in the world you cold offer me to go back there again – for much the cited reasons. After leaving school and getting my first job (IT) I remember feeling like escaping from solitary confinement after what seemed like a lifetime…
Weird. It was horrible. But I keep having this idea that if I could go back knowing what I know now it’d be a much better experience.
Everyone give Katherine a big hand for today’s bonus posting. We’ve got our usual page updating tomorrow. Thanks to the readers and fans for spreading the word. You’re a great audience.
Love it, Doug. Can’t wait for the bonus page.
Luckily, I was warned by everyone that it was going to be rather difficult. I’m still struggling with it. Hopefully my life will be more enjoyable once I get my stuff together again.
Hats off to Katherine!
Yay, bonus page! This day is getting better.
Hang in there, Shelby.
The look on Herk’s face in the 5th panel is priceless.
I love your style and characters, it will be fun seeing where this story goes!
Tell me about it! The majority of my teen years sucked so hard. But I think that was a good thing, for me anyways. My trials and choices I’ve made, has made me stronger in every conceivable way. In my opinion I think everyone should at least figure it out for themselves.
Great work. I love the concept of the baby pool/ I will now be reading this going forward. PvP ordered me to order a book so I guess I’ll go do that now too
Wow that was an epic fail.. a faceplant followed by a backward slip. Poor kid.. adds injury to insult.. I really sympathize with his athletic shortcomings.
Never understood the ‘self-concious about height’ thing though. I remember growing up taller was always better and I was always in the top three… and really, my teen years were the best I ever had, physically or otherwise. It’s been a sharp downhill slope from there.. kinda making me regret wasting my best years on education..
… still good advice though. It’s true.. nobody DID pick their body.. some people try, and pay doctors five or six figures.. but the results are icky.
Yeah, the teen years are tough, and warnings should be given, but… would I have even understood the warning at 13? I won’t say no one would, but I look back and I’m pretty sure it would have gone way over my head.
In any case, you (and your dad) make a great point for gay/lesbian/trans acceptance, so thank you very much for that too. Can’t wait to see where all this leads us!
I sometimes feel that I’m reliving those teen years… at 40. Thanks Doug, for sharing and the new page. Loving it…. like Christmas morning.