WANTED: Love of my Life

38. The social significance of sprayed insults

I had given considerable thought to the two signs I had copied into my notebook, and even more thought to how the hell I was going to find out what they meant. What did you say? I shouldn't be sneaking behind my boyfriend's back, trying to spy on him and try to find out things he considered private?

Yeah, right. You don't have to deal with going to bed every evening, wondering if you'll see him again the next day. He'd given me his promise that he would stay, and I really, really wanted to trust him. But the problem was: how could I, as long as he didn't trust me? It hurt to have him hiding things from me, and... and I was nosy, all right? It's a character flaw! I can't do anything about it!

So I had pondered how to get the goods on my boyfriend. The first thing that came to mind was internet research. Unfortunately, for that you need a computer, and for that you need parents who understand the needs of a modern teenager, all of which I didn't have. Access to the school computers was restricted, plus I didn't have any idea how to do research beyond entering a word into Google and pressing 'enter'.

Finally, I hit upon the perfect solution.

“Miss Ellis?”

She looked up from the papers she was studying. It was the end of the lesson, and she looked surprised to still find a student in the classroom.

“Yes, Angela?”

“I was wondering whether you could help me with something. I have some symbols here,” I took out my notebook and showed her my sketches, “which have some social significance, only I can't find any reference to them on the web.”

No need to mention that this was because I didn't actually have access to it.

“I was hoping you could help me. I'm sure you're much more experienced at research than I am.”

“Hmm...”

Miss Ellis studied the symbols closely, her brow even more furrowed than it usually was. “I've never seen this thing, these hands and the cloth, before. And as for the, um....” I could see her struggle to come up with a polite description for the other sketch. Finally, she gave up. “Well, I can't say I've seen that before, either. They have social significance, you said?”

“Yes, Miss Ellis.”

“Where did you find them?”

I had expected that question and come up with a good answer.

“In a documentary on the social conditions in San Francisco, but unfortunately I can't remember the name. One of the signs was scrawled on a garbage can, the other was a tattoo on some guy's arm, I think.”

“Hmm,” she said again. “Well, I'll certainly look them up, and will get back to you if I find anything. It's nice when a student goes beyond the material offered in class and takes an interest in her city's social conditions. Shows an admirable thirst for knowledge.”

I nodded, eagerly.

“Yeah. I'm very thirsty for knowledge all right. I really hope you find something.”

<3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3

My friends and I didn't have all classes together, in spite of the things Jen had threatened to do to the administrators' pets and garage doors if they didn't adjust our timetables. So it wasn't until study hall that I realized Jen was not in school today.

“Yeah”, Sandra said, when I asked her what was the matter, “Jen had to stay home for one more day. Apparently, She was still sneezing, and her mother threatened to lock her in her room if she didn't promise to stay at home.”