I am the kind of Girl…
I am not the kind of girl who gives up just like that.
-Blondie, The Tide is High
At Voice Box Stories and Serenade, we take a song and let it inspire a story. This month the song is The Tide is High by Blondie.
The song reminded me of a time in middle school my dear friend Jamie Prince, and I were like two peas in a pod. We were both misfits, with our braces, awkward laughs, and an insatiable desire to please others.
But one fateful day, something magical happened. Jamie received an unexpected invitation from Robbie Van Dam, the most popular and mesmerizing boy in our class, if not the entire world.
Jamie, who usually sat with me at the square peg table during lunch, suddenly found herself welcomed into the company of the cool kids. I was overjoyed for her and utterly captivated by this ascent to social stardom.
As we walked home from school together, I would bombard her with questions like a thirsty paparazzi. I wanted to know everything.
And then fate took an unexpected turn. After a couple of weeks, Jamie returned to our lunch table. Apparently, Robbie had ended their budding romance.
"What did you say?" I asked. Jamie picked up her sandwich, and with a faint smile, she replied, "I told him I would think about it."
"What? You told him you would think about it?" I was no expert, but even I knew that wasn't how these things worked.
"Jamie, I don't think you get a say in this," I offered. She finished chewing her bite of bologna on white bread, shrugged her shoulders, and simply said, "We'll see about that."
Her response fascinated me. It made me wonder about all the ways in which I had unknowingly been conforming to other people's expectations and plans instead of forging my own path.
As time went on, Jamie and I lost touch. Perhaps she grew up to be a successful entrepreneur, boldly shaping her own destiny. Or maybe she became a champion for standing up against societal norms. Or maybe she became a stalker.
Either way, her response made me look at things differently. She inspired me to never be "a girl who gives up just like that."
PROMPT: Where did you lean not to give up so easily? Where are you still learning to advocate for yourself?
If you happen to be in the Berwyn area, please join us for an unforgettable experience. I am excited to hear Cathy Richardson's rendition of this The Tide is High, and thrilled by the incredible lineup at Voice Box. I hope this inspired you to write and honor your own stories.
Love, Maur
