Crochet

Back when I was little, my grandma taught us how to crochet. We were little, so she just taught us how to finger crochet a little chain. We thought it was the coolest thing ever! My mom gave us some beige yarn to make chains out of. We went to town! I remember Erik and I would crochet and crochet and crochet to make the longest chain in the world. We would measure it by running it up and down the stairs. I think it made it 4 or 5 times. To our tiny selves, this was incredibly long!

Crocheting was so cool. We could make so much stuff! I mean, not only could we run the chain up and down stairs, but we could also tie stuff up with it. Or we could wind it into a giant ball! The possibilities were endless... although I can't think of anything else we made with it.

My grandma saw us the next time and saw that we had gone completely crazy making crochet chains. She showed us how to use a hook and crochet back and forth, therefore making something useful or cute. Nah, we weren't interested. Using a hook was hard, and besides, it would distract us from the goal of creating the longest crochet chain in the world.

I was in second grade. Our class assignment was to share one of our hobbies. I had quite a time trying to think of a hobby. What did I spend my time doing? Um, playing. That's not exactly a hobby you can share with your class. I played the piano, but I wasn't any good, and it's not like I could bring my piano in to show and tell. So I was stumped. I didn't think of any hobbies, and I didn't do the assignment. I told my teacher I couldn't think of any hobbies, and since she'd already given me plenty of time and the project was due that day, she told me she'd just have to give me a zero.

But I enjoyed watching my friends' hobby presentations. Some of them had brought pictures or samples, and some even taught us how to do their hobby. I particularly remember that my friend Angelee brought in some string. Her grandma had taught her and her sisters how to finger crochet, and she gave everyone a string to teach us how to also finger crochet.

I was shocked. You mean crocheting is a hobby?! I had a hobby!

After the presentations that day, I remember going up to my teacher and telling her I had thought of something to present: my grandma taught me how to finger crochet, and that was my hobby too!

My teacher was a little exasperated as she explained to me that Angelee had already taught the class how to finger crochet, and it couldn't be my hobby too. I hadn't done the assignment, and I would just get a zero for a grade. I thought it was so unfair.

Ha ha ha! I was such a smart kid.