High School at 2:21

I walk it five days a week  I've walked it five days a week for the past four years. But this year something changed. I walked up instead of down.

As the bell rings, I scurry from my class on the first floor C wing. By the pillar that stands in front of the stairs, there is a large group of loud and obnoxious friends. They wait for the bus. Everyday it's the same, they chase each other while screaming nonsense. Sometimes one hits another.

Continuing on I begin to ascend up the stairs. The right side for up traffic and left side for down traffic social rule is completely ignored. There is only a single file line on the extreme right of the stairs for people going up. Conversations are loud enough for surrounding ears. "Did you hear what Stacy did last night? That WHORE."

Stacy is right behind the voice that spoke her name. Stacy does not enjoy what was said. Stacy lets the voice know she does not enjoy it, as high pitched bickering fades down the staircase.

Later there are two guys, probably sophomores, screaming across the herd of students. They scream sexually profane insults (I don't really feel comfortable writing it, although I'm tempted). With a look behind me, there's an elderly woman in the single file line of people going up the staircase. She has a look of terror and awe. She's obviously a guest: her age, facial expressions, and name tag make it clear.

Now the hardest part. The crossing. It's comparable to wildebeests crossing the Nile River, avoiding the crocodiles. The single file line must wade through the underclassmen. A girl, about 5 ft 2 inches tries to go ahead. She is bumped multiple times, and groans in frustration to her friend. Some have other methods. A football player does the bumping, shoves, and gets through quite easily. Others follow the path he just made.

And the line is free just like that. The seniors head out the 2nd floor doors to their cars.

It took me going up the stairs to learn this. High School is immature. No manners. No courtesy. It's far different from the world outside. Out there, people hold doors for each other, and exchange thank yous. When I was going down, I was part of the herd of wild animals. Now I'm ready to go out to civilization. Out of the high school. To become an adult.