Stupid pepperoni stick
When I was in grade two, I got hit by a tire swing. It was morning recess and I had just decided to take a break from the swings to enjoy my pepperoni stick. In those days, having a pepperoni stick as a snack was definitely something to be relished -- for once, my nanny didn't pack something weird like a packet of seaweed or a pimento loaf sandwich with extra butter. I wish I could describe the pain from the impact of the tire to my face, but I don't remember. I'm sure it hurt. I was lying on the pebbles in the middle of the playground, the new girl in Mlle Diotte's class -- the one with the bowl cut mullet. I'm sure I cried -- but was I too self-conscious to wail? The good thing about wearing a red jacket is that if you get blood on it, you won't see a thing. There was blood on the pebbles, blood spurting out of my face – the silk cotton-padded jacket with the black wool cuffs stayed red.
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