Striking out for the first time. Intro to THE CREW

The fair was a complete disaster. When we got there it was immediately known that I purchased a XL t-shirt because I was too stupid at 14 years old to try anything on. I looked like I was about 300 lbs. instead of 110. I couldn't come up with anything to say, and when I did I was too worried that James would say something to protect his sister. Jessica could tell I was nervous too, being sarcastic and such all day in replies. Finally when their Dad arrived to take us all home, it couldn't have been fast enough. I went home that night feeling like a schmuck. I knew that I had just looked like a fool all day and had to figure something out quick. School was starting in a few weeks and I desperately needed some (new) friends. I had of course the beginning of The Freak Hall from freshman year, but those dudes (Randy Badour, Russ Batzer) lived in Munger and I could rarely convince my Mom or Dad to give me a ride out there during the summer. I decided to let a couple days pass then call over and see whats up. Nothing significant occurred until a few days before school started. We all noticed that we would be riding the same bus to school everyday, which was more of a help to Jessica and Micheal than myself. They were incoming freshmen and I always a grade past them, even though technically I should've been in their grade. About 3 days into the school year we noticed a dirty blond haired dude who looked a little scrubby in a leather jacket every morning smoking at the bus stop. (Jessica and Micheal always walked to my bus stop early just to hang out, even though it was about a 1/2 mile further away from there official one.) Finally one morning Jessica said let's go introduce ourselves. I honestly figured it was so they could ask where he got cigarettes from, but that's later. We said hi and he introduced himself as Gabe Dvorsiok. He only lived one block from the bus stop and said he just moved here from Pittsburgh, PA to be with his mom, Trudy, and step dad, Charlie.

Over the next few days we also noticed a tall gangly looking guy who talked with a minor lisp riding the bus home everyday. He always sat directly behind the bus driver and rarely talked to anyone else. Our group was growing (haha) and I said something to him one day when Gabe and I got on late and had to sit in seat 2 behind him. I asked him what his name was and he said Shawn, Shawn Senske. He always had a walkman jamming rap music on, so he instantly assumed the nickname of Nigga Shawn (not racial at all, he's white, duh) he said that he only rode the bus in the afternoon because his Grandma dropped him off at school each morning after her paper route. He seemed interesting enough saying he was from Missouri, and we instantly hit it off. I convinced him to start hanging with us at the bus stop each morning, and soon enough the crew was always walking from house to house every afternoon hanging out non-stop. This group consisted of myself, Jessica, Micheal, Gabe, Shawn, James, and a little later Ryan Higgins (much more later).

We spent each afternoon and weekend basically hanging on each other. Each of us alone would be bored as hell, so everyday we would get home from school, and then immediately get together and hang behind Lindsay School. It was odd to me having friends like this. Just being able to hang out and enjoy each others company was all I ever needed to feel good. So many things happened during the next 2-3 years (which will be discussed very, very much), good and bad, and little did I know that by the end of High School it would all GO UP IN SMOKE, only to come full circle and actually save my life during the early summer immediately after high school. (thanks James, you'll see)

Music: THE RAMONES