I guess I kinda agreed, 'cause this year I'd be starting at a new school, Maple Street Junior High. Seventh grade! I thought it was sooo lame that our elementary schools went through sixth grade. Kids in other districts get to go to middle school for sixth. I was twelve years old, going on thirteen, but barely out of elementary - get real!

Anyway, my Mom brought me in during the afternoon, and I was gonna get my operation first thing in the morning. Everybody said that afterwards, the only thing I'd be able to eat would be ice cream. I sure hoped so, 'cause the dinner they brought me was lousy. And they said I couldn't eat anything after seven p.m. 'cause of the ana-setic or whatever you call it.

My Mom stayed with me during the afternoon and after dinner. I didn't like the first nurse who came by - she was fat, and old, and acted like a principal or something. But about six o'clock, right before dinner, they changed nurses. The new one was young, and pretty, and seemed real friendly.

"Hello, Mindy. Getting our tonsils out, huh?" She smiled.

"Yeah, Dr. Collins says they gotta go!"

"Well, I know Dr. Collins is one of the best, so I'm sure he's right. Are you nervous?"

"Well, I've never had an operation before, but they say you go to sleep and wake-up and you don't even know it happened."....(cont)