And so I became a woman...

"March 12, 1986

Today I got my period.
It doesn't hurt a
bit. Nothing much
happened in school.
I don't want to
make this page
long so this is all
I am writing.

March 13, 1986

Today I did not get
my period. Mrs. R,
the nurse, gave me
some pads + a book
let on periods and
stuff like that. It had
stuff about boys, too.
It's not bad at alll.
I got a new suit +
jacket. I also got a
pretty purse but my
mother bought it. I
have to carry a-
round little pads in
my purse in case I
get my period in schoo
l."

Um, I was NINE and in FOURTH GRADE when this happened. And far from the lackluster impression I gave here of receiving the booklets on my (and my classmates) impending sexual maturity, I clearly remember spending the entire recess with my friends looking at these pamphlets.

All spacing presented in the diary entries is as written in by me, age 9. I particularly like when I continue one letter onto the next line. And this is writing from what was considered a GOOD student. I feel for elementary teachers, really I do.