We didn’t wear jeans because my mom believed it to be a sign of lower class and wanted to hide the fact that we were poor.

But you don’t go around telling kids that.

Especially not me as a kid. I would have announced to any room, “I don’t wear jeans because my parents want everyone to think that we’re not poor.”

So the story as I was told was that poor people wore jeans. And: don’t point that out/say that out loud to people because it makes them feel bad.

The charade held until I was sitting in my 7th grade math class.

Math in the form of a lecture has never held my attention. So my mind was wandering.

I was wearing the exact outfit in the photo the day I noticed, one kid at a time:

Every kid that was wearing pants was wearing jeans.

I am sure my face was telling quite a story!

I know it was because my friend Trice leaned over and whispered with a quiet laugh, “What’s up?”

Wide eyed, as if I had discovered the 8th wonder of the world: “𝘌𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘫𝘦𝘢𝘯𝘴!”

This time, it was her face that told a story. One that said she wasn’t sure if I was being serious.

“You’re so weird!”

We both whisper-laughed.

Hers more genuine and towards her perception of my silliness.

Mine more nervous and towards my newly challenged belief system.