[Elspode]

My family bounced around town all through my elementary years, and so I never really got to stick with any friends. This resulted in my being relentlessly teased - Fatty Patty was the usual sobriquet, but people who sort of liked me a little just called me Fat Pat. I liked that, it was more familiar.

When we hit Grandview, I was just going into the 7th Grade, and it was then that I finally grew out of my baby fat (I guess that's what it was...I dunno, I got pretty athletic, without being any sort of jock), and the teasing stopped and the girls came around.

Education was always just a bit boring for me, and consequently, I just did the absolute minimum to pass (I always aced tests, but never turned in any work I didn't feel like doing...result? C's overall). Most of my teachers were sharp enough to peg me for what I was...bright and searching for alternative paths, and so I ended up pretty much being allowed to do what I wanted, as long as I showed up. I spent a lot of time doing work for school productions, yearbook, newspaper, photo stuff, etc when others were grinding out the crap in class. I probably spent more time in extracurricular activities than I did in actual classes by my junior year in HS.

Some teachers, especially the jock/military/disciplinarian types, hated me...I was a hippie and a non-conformist, except that I could do whatever their golden boys and girls could do, and often better than they could do it. I think that they felt like I was a waste of potential, from their narrow little points of view.

School was okay...I had many great teachers who pretty much knew I was a dope-smoking, guitar-playing, girl-chasing free spirit with a bent for creative expression and crazy-assed humor.

I'm a nice guy, and nice guys usually get to skate through pretty easy, all in all.