Sandy and Me

September 1957

Today was the first day of third grade. My teacher, Miss Smith had told us promptly that we should be on our best behavior, or be struck with a paddle, which she kept on the top shelf of our classroom, which was hidden when a parent came in. When it was time for Snack Break, my teacher told the class that we should all guide the new student around the school. Her name was Sandy. We were then released to guide this girl around the school. When I saw what she looked like, I laughed under my breath. She wore glasses, had puffy hair, a pimple or two under her hair, and I could see that she was wearing a pink dress with a flower in her hair from where I was standing.

December 1957

Today the new student Sandy broke her leg after some of the big kids threw rocks at her. Even though I thought I had no sympathy, I really did feel sorry for her. The big kids have to pay for Sandy's injury. Her glasses also broke, and they cost her family $50.

Friday, January 1, 1960

Today life was no different than any other New Year's. My family had made me go and be on my best behavior to my Aunt and Uncle's home for their annual party. I had just got back from boarding school and took the train home. My parent's gave me their usual welcoming: a yawn, a smile, and a "how long will it be 'till you go back to boarding school again?" I had hated my parents since I was in fifth grade, when they sent me to boarding school so they could have the house to themselves again. I had two years left of Elementary School and said good-bye to all of my friends, who themselves were sad that I was leaving. They bade me good-bye and wished me luck. I threw up that night and was sleepless the next day.

TWENTY YEARS LATER

Tuesday, January 1, 1980
Today something happened in my life. Something that was so unusual. At least it was to me. In the past five years of my life, I had grown fond of going to a coffee shop down the block and read for one hour while drinking a sip of hot chocolate every five minutes. Of course, it wasn't hot after fifteen minutes, so I soon just got an iced coffee, which also got warm after a half hour. Anyway, today a woman of an average height, looking like she was interested in something of mine, sat down at my table while I was reading Gone With the Wind. So when she sat down, I did not have anything to say to her, so I waiting for her to say something to me. And she did, and that was, "Aren't you going to say something?" I was puzzled for a minute or two, but finally said, "Well, what is your trouble, young woman?" She told me that I was a shy person, and then said, "Don't you recognize me?" "I'm sorry, but I think you have the wrong man. I've been coming here for the past five years and this is the first time I've seen you," I told her. She slowly stood up an walked out of the shop with a tear or two in her eyes, which is when I had recognized that she was the nerdy Sandy me and my friends had always picked on.

Storypedia has found a user that explained their ending.
Sheryl Grabow-Weiss from Houston, Maryland said:
Has anyone offered an ending for your story? I'd like the main character to run after Sandy and find out about her life. Was she still nerdy? Or had she become a different person?

But that wasn't the ending, not at all. Some people change over time, in fact almost everybody does. But I knew Sandy did not. Her voice was as nerdy as ever, and red sixties-style sun-glasses hung over her eyes. I knew it would be impolite to make fun of her, so I didn't. In fact, I didn't even run after her. A couple days later, there was a report on the TV saying that someone had been murdered. The victim's name was Sandy.