Reviews from

A Particular Friendship

Viewing comments for Chapter 42 "The Dark Year"
We meet Lizzy who has just come out of the convent

9 total reviews 
Comment from Michael Ludwinder
Excellent
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You do a great job of showing us your journey through eighth grade and beyond. I like how you shared that it was filed with both challenges and moments of triumph. It's clear that you faced adversity with determination. I like how you show us how you dealt with the asses that every high school has! haha Your memories of finding a break in activities like dancing and softball are well written. Keep holding onto those memories!

 Comment Written 19-May-2024


reply by the author on 19-May-2024
    Thank you for your delightful review. I'm glad you enjoyed it.
Comment from Pamusart
Excellent
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Hi, Liz. For me, junior high was the toughest time growing up.

But, some of what we thought was so important back then and sadness they engendered are due to peer pressure

In other words, would it have been so upsetting if you were by yourself? See what I mean.

Your poem captured very well the ups, and downs of adolescence.


" window of the lady who had the audacity to moved her house right at the end of our softball field, across from my house."

Audacity to move rather than moved.


Well done thank you for sharing

 Comment Written 19-May-2024


reply by the author on 19-May-2024
    Thank you for your alert review. I'm glad you enjoyed it.
Comment from barbara.wilkey
Excellent
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Thank you for sharing this with us. I am hoping writing this it helps you heal. I'm positive it will help others in similar situation. I enjoyed reading.

 Comment Written 17-May-2024


reply by the author on 17-May-2024
    . Thank you for your compassionate review. It's interesting how many people say to me now they're telling me what their childhood was like or what their school years were like I think there is some healing taking place. That is why I wrote my 3 Be Wee With Bea series, for readers to heal & I could heal.
Comment from LateBloomer
Excellent
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Hi Liz, school years can be painful, even quite cruel. I'm glad that you wrote this when you did, easing some of the current heartache. Your story is well told, and your characters are real. Of special note:

--I would sit hunched over with my head on my arm to the point of exhaustion and tears.

(Vivid imagery. I can see it, and I can relate to it.)

-- he made fun of the boys for dancing with me.

(That's usually jealousy.)

--Karma may have taken over, he passed early in life and did not get to enjoy a full life.

(I believe in Karma. Just sharing ... regarding those who have wronged me in life, most of them are not alive. I'm sure they treated others the same way. All that aggression can take a person to an early grave.)

-- That was the year I learned I am combination lock challenged.

(Me too. I went through all of high school having trouble with my combo lock. I could never understand why we just could have a lock with a key.)

Well told. Looking forward to reading more. Sorry about the late review. Margaret



--

 Comment Written 16-May-2024


reply by the author on 16-May-2024
    For your complimentary review. Sounds like we had similar things in common. Thank you for sharing this with me. Karma is a good thing. My sparring partner just passed a year ago.
Comment from Carol Hillebrenner
Excellent
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But for the combination locks, it sounds as if you had a good time during these years and were a winner where baseball was concerned. Baseball was fun for me, until I caught a line drive right between the eyes with my new glasses on.

 Comment Written 15-May-2024


reply by the author on 15-May-2024
    Owee yowee. Thank you for sharing your traumatic review.
    I had PTSD from a ball hit rolling up the hill and spinning up and hitting me right in the Adam's apple. After that I was afraid of fielding any balls coming toward me rolling up the hill. Fortunately I always put my glove up in front of my face when the ball was hit when I was pitching. You must have had PTSD from getting hit by the ball with your new glasses on. Worse yet it was a line drive...Oooof
Comment from Ulla
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Hi Liz, I'm so sorry you had such a hard time of it. It must have been hell. You wrote this so very well. I was just there with you and could feel the agony you must have gone through. Ulla xcx

 Comment Written 15-May-2024


reply by the author on 15-May-2024
    Thank you for your complimentary review. It is good to know that I touched your soul. Thank you.
Comment from lyenochka
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My goodness - what a dark year indeed! I think my darkest year was 9th grade - the only one in a Lutheran private school which had rather racist overtones - one of the few schools in Hawaii where Asians were the minority. So I can understand how hard it was for you.
But you had the benefit of having a great mom to support you in getting the math homework done! And you were so athletically gifted!
So you balanced the darkness with the bright spots that you remembered.

 Comment Written 15-May-2024


reply by the author on 15-May-2024
    Thank you for your involved review. Yes, my mother helped me with my math for as many years as she could. She was good at math. That's one of the benefits here.
Comment from patcelaw
Excellent
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I enjoyed listening to your story and it's a shame that you had those dark times in your eighth grade year. I can't see there is one particular year that was a dark time for me other than to say that high school was really a dark time for me because I had never learned how to study and I didn't have time to study so therefore my grades were very poor. Pat.

 Comment Written 14-May-2024


reply by the author on 14-May-2024
    Thank you for your complementary review. I didn't really know how smart I was till graduate school. It sounds like you had a similar situation.
Comment from jim vecchio
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First background line: "history" is incomplete.
I'm sorry I did not save a sixth str for this. Every word is meaningfully precious. I wish I had been in class with you. There was a girl in my English class tht a classmate was ranking pretty bad. I told him to stop it and he met me outside and we fought. I think I lost the fight, and I got expelled for the week but got to know the girl, went on dates, and took her to the Prom.

 Comment Written 14-May-2024


reply by the author on 14-May-2024
    Thank you for my delightful review . Chivalry got you everywhere I don't know if that stands for today or not but.
reply by jim vecchio on 14-May-2024
    Even my father wasn't as angry as I thought he would be, since I was trying to help someone.
reply by the author on 14-May-2024
    ***Phew***
reply by jim vecchio on 15-May-2024
    I could never stand to see a woman hurt or ridiculed.
reply by the author on 15-May-2024
    That is so wonderful to hear.
reply by jim vecchio on 15-May-2024
    I was deeply honored when my wife said "yes" and, though Life had it moments, I am thankful she stood with me for 31 years.
reply by the author on 15-May-2024
    Wonderful memories. I'm happy for you.