Through the Past Dorkily: State of Shock

Editor's note: Through the Past Dorkily is a recurring feature that looks back at the embarrassingly dorky diary I kept as a 16-year-old in 1984.

Saturday, June 9, 1984

Song of the day: The Weapon - Rush

Not much happened today. Boy, it was hot!

I finally got some good shoes for work. I felt 100% better in them. Next week I work Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, 3-10 each day.

I met [cute girl from party] while I was working. We talked for a while. Jeremy said that he, his girlfriend and [cute girl from party] were going to the movies on June 22, and I was invited (if I had the car). I said sure but I hope I'm not working! I think she likes me. She's pretty nice.

[Classmate] (from French, I can't spell her last name) works at the Bucket, too.

- The Barbarian

Sunday, June 10, 1984

Song of day: Afterimage - Rush

Another sticky day, fellah. Mom slept in so we didn't go to church. I mowed the lawn and nearly sweated to death!

I did my homework and then waited till 9 for the Rush special on WAAF. I taped over the Sabbath concert I taped last year. It went over so I also used the BASF that I taped (badly) some Who albums on. The special was great!

Nighty-night.

- The Barbarian

Monday, June 11, 1984

Song of the day: The Original Sin - INXS

Another hot one.

Took French quiz, I think I did good. I got a 73 on the How to Study quiz! Yah!

Mom let me take the car to work. Got my punch card, name tag today. Went to Dairy Queen for dinner. Got stuck there till 10:30. Sheesh!

Toodaloo.

- The Barbarian

Tuesday, June 12, 1984

Song of the day: Born in the USA - Bruce Springsteen

Top 5 at Five
1. Rock You Like a Hurricane - Scorpions
2. Life Sucks, Then You Die - The Fools
3. Round and Round - Ratt
4. Legs - ZZ Top
5. Wouldn't It Be Good - Nik Kershaw

Today wasn't that great. [Teacher] moved me to the front because I dropped my pencil (You explain it!). I bombed the Algebra quiz. I just choked!

I had the day off so I took a nap. Wow.

- The (almost senior) Barbarian

Wednesday, June 13, 1984

Song of the day: State of Shock - The Jacksons (with Mick Jagger)

Today was so-so. I slept through Civics, goofed off through Geometry, and stumbled through the rest of the day. I got a 35 on that Alg. quiz. She didn't count it and we have a retake tomorrow.

I have to pick up my first paycheck tomorrow.

3 tests tomorrow.

Ugh, my feet hurt.

- The Barbarian

Thursday, June 14, 1984

Song of the day: High on Emotion - Chris Deburgh

Top 5 at Five
1. We're Not Gonna Take It - Twisted Sister
2. Life Sucks, Then You Die - The Fools
3. Round and Round - Ratt
4. The Reflex - Duran Duran
5. The Ghost in You - Psychedelic Furs

Hmm. In Civics, we were videotaped. It was wild! We were throwing stuff, yelling, running around, it was great! We get to see it next week.

The Geometry final was weird. I did good on the Bi Sci test, and alright on the Algebra thing.

I got my paycheck today. It was for $49.44. They only paid me for 17 hours, instead of 20. [Supervisor] said he'd add it on to next week's check. Great!

Tomorrow's the last actual work day of this school year! Yah!

- The Barbarian

Friday, June 15, 1984

Song of the day: Tell Me - Fastway

Weird day. I aced the Civics final. 101 out of 105. Awesome. I also did the Geometry final. I got an 88 on the Bi Sci test and a 36 (no lie) on the retake in Algebra. Luckily, she's dropping the grade! I got notes at lunch and I completed the How to Study quiz (all except 2 questions). And my French report went pretty good.

Last day of school work! Yah!


Went to work. What a day! I spent half the day cleaning up messes and sweeping the floors. Sheesh.

After work, at 11 (store now closes at 10), [buddy] said he was going to Friendly's and asked me if I wanted to go. I said sure, but he had to drop someone off first. I followed them to Atkinson and then turned around so I wouldn't get lost. I went to Friendly's to meet 'em there but they never showed! I didn't have any money. [Classmate] was working. I bugged her. [Another buddy] was there with a couple of friends. [Two other classmates] showed up. I bummed a buck off one of them and bought a drink. [The other guy] was telling me how he got laid 3 times tonight. Great. I left about 11:50. Got home at midnight. Not bad.

I gotta cash my check.

- The Barbarian

Postscript: The school year is winding down, while the work schedule is ramping up. I forgot that for those 3-10 shifts, we never got a dinner break. I was eating a crap fast food dinner at 10 or 11. Can't even imagine doing that now. Also, gotta love that hefty first paycheck! I was getting paid minimum wage, which in 1984 was a robust $3.35/hour. How the hell did people live on that? I guess things cost a lot less back then, but still...

Man, I would love to see that Civics video with us in it. I don't remember what the point was; I think it was to show a worst-case classroom scenario so we were encouraged to act like idiots. Not sure. Still, would be interesting to see that now.

In that situation where I was following a buddy and then got lost, nowadays it'd be easy to just call or text the person to say I'd meet them at Friendly's. Back then, you had no way to reach somebody except via payphone or landline. Cracks me up that I went to this restaurant with absolutely no money in my wallet. Man.