Note writing

This morning as I turned out of my street I noticed that one of the girls waiting for the school bus was sitting on the curb writing on a piece of green paper.  She was probably middle school age and I didn’t think she would be writing out homework on green paper.  Immediately I had a flashback to my younger days and wondered if she was quickly writing a note.  Dear readers, did you ever write notes and pass them to your friends while you were in school?  I had totally, completely forgotten about writing notes until I saw this girl intent on her writing.

Note writing was an art, probably a lost art because I suspect that today’s kids just text each other.  But in my day it was a serious task.  It was the ‘70’s and colored paper was the preferred medium.  I remember that I had a pack of light orange paper and another friend had a bluish lavender shade; we would often trade.  Writing would be done during class, undercover and carefully hidden; this was easy if you were a good student and could pretend to be taking class notes.  While topics might be clothes, boys, hair, or other girl things the content was carefully written, often with little smiley faces or an appropriate doodle. It was serious writing!

The note then would be carefully folded into a square or in the preferred shape of a triangle.  This was tricky because you had to keep your eyes focused on the board or appear to be paying attention while folding the paper.  You would write the recipient’s name on the outside and add a little embellishment such as a flower or scroll.  Then it would be slipped secretly across the room or handed off during class changes.  If it was just one page and thin it might then be slipped through the air vent in your locker.  Reading a note was done while walking to class or carefully during the next class. And, every note required a reply!

Such a simple thing, writing notes to friends on notebook paper with a Bic pen!