perceptions (part 1 of 3)

in elementary school,
we spoke french
and nobody called me elaine
I loved to play games, emulating TVB characters
with my super honger friends

I sang Spice Girls
bought slushies
and hung out at the swings every recess
gossiping with girls whose names are so foreign now
isabelle, burcin, wing yi, sondos
I wonder where they are now

I liked a boy
in grade 5, 6
who had a funny haircut
my friends called him "aaron kwok wannabe"
he was sweet
and would try to hold my hand when I wasn't looking

actually, I liked two boys
one much cuter than the other
looking back now
the soccer player with the bunny teeth
still makes me giggle and even blush

graduation was the most fun
our song was the theme to "hercules"
ahh yes..."go the distance"
we had a fun dance
when aqua, the macarena, and savage garden were still hot commodities
that was also the year I saw "titanic" twice

trips to quebec city and ottawa
memories of greyhound buses
and how someone pooed and made the back stinky.
our own hotel beds
the first taste of freedom

pui ming, pui ming
that was my name
the girl who read books
and loved magic carpet rides