That was 14 years ago
November 24, 2004
During one of my many moments of procrastination today I picked up and started flipping through my hardcover, leather-bound copy of The Secret Garden. I received this beautiful edition of the book (it is printed on thick rough paper, and has a bunch of full-color illustrations, and like I said it is leather-bound with gold printing on the spine) as a 10th birthday present from the class whiz-kid and chess master (this is how I remember him, okay?), Gethyn Leedham. Flipping through the book, I thought of 1) how much I love the story itself and 2) of how much I really used to like Gethyn, though I don�t think I fully realized it at the time�being ten and a bit of a tomboy and all. Gethyn was in a no way a geek or a dweeb, but my god was he a nerd in the sexiest sense of the word. We were in the same school�with the exception of the second grade when I lived in Bahrain�from kindergarten to the fourth grade. Our little private school in central Jersey was surprisingly diverse and non-elitist. All sorts of people passed through our school, and though I didn�t think much of it at the time, I think that the years I spent there had a profound effect on me.
But back to Gethyn�how to explain? I always feel weird when I think back to these people with whom I spent my formative years and who probably all graduated from that school together (it�s only K-8) and then probably went on to the same prep schools together. I always feel weird about it because I wonder if any of them ever think of me or even remember me. Is it weird that I remember how Gethyn was the class glue-eater in the first grade, and how Ms. Klockner kept telling him how that was really bad for him? I remember how he would peel off the glue after it had dried at the tip the Elmer�s glue bottle, and then pop it in his mouth with a devilish look of delight. Does he ever think back and remember the chubby girl who used to threaten to sock him and all the other boys in the gut if they tried to kiss her friends while playing that school yard game which we called �cooties,� but which I�m sure has many names and variations? I wonder.
Gethyn represents one of my two �types.� He was small, intense, and intellectual. Even at the age of ten. We were never buddies, but then I think now that maybe Geth was a bit of a loner. I�m not sure. As far as I can remember, his parents were scientists and/or environmentalists. I remember once in third grade offering to trade my tuna sandwich with him for his PB&J. He said that he couldn�t eat my tuna sandwich unless he was sure it was made from dolphin-safe tuna. It was the first time I�d ever heard of such a thing and he proceeded to explain to me that in netting tuna, dolphins were often harmed in the process, and his parents did not allow him to eat tuna that wasn�t guaranteed dolphin-safe. Gethyn�s parents were also, I think, English. Or maybe it was just one his parents. I�m not actually sure why I think that. I mean his name is a bit English isn�t it? And he did speak with a bit of a lilt, not unlike Mr. Inkwell�s. And the best part�he bore a striking resemblance to that God of British rock gods�Sting. {Shiver}
Because my birthday is in the summer, usually after school is let out, my parents always held my birthday party a month before it actually is. Because my parents knew that fourth grade would be the last year I spent at that school before they transferred me to the local public school, they made kind of a big deal out of my tenth birthday party and invited all the kids from my class, making it a day-long affair at our house. All my closest friends showed up�my best boy friend John, and my best girl friends Paige, Jenny, Andrea, and Christy. After the party the girls would sleep over, and we would watch Labyrinth (Squee! David Bowie! Shout out Ms. Dolo and Notorious!), and the next day we would wake up to find my goldfish floating on the surface of the water, dead. But at the party itself, among other games, we had a rowdy treasure hunt, which Gethyn ultimately won. I still have a picture somewhere of him standing on our kitchen counter, arms raised above his head in victory with the final clue in his hands.
After we had tired of games and cake, we opened the presents, and I remember being overcome with emotion (as overcome as a fairly emotionless ten year old can be) when I unwrapped Gethyn�s beautiful gift. It remains, to this day, one of the best presents I�ve ever received along with the rare, first edition copy of East of Eden given to me by a certain ALF-resembling, ex-friend. It was also the inspiration for the collection of hard-cover classics I am putting together for the future, perhaps for those kids I might someday consider having�a collection which to this day has only about five books in it. Heh.
Anyway, Gethyn, thanks for the book and for allowing this lovely little trip down memory lane. I wonder what you are up to these days, and I hope that someday you will think of me, and look me up�it seems that my name is more googleable than yours (though, with this entry I suppose I've just upped your googleability). You would think with a name like Gethyn Leedham, it�d be easier to find but, alas, it is not so. If you do happen upon this entry, please do not be frightened. Just know that I am a totally harmless, sentimental fool who once had a crush on you.