any good days that you can recall?

[infanalyst]

Thanks for responding Diane. Well, I guess my memory is really starting to come back to me now, I think I've somehow repressed a lot of these incidents and I am a bit shocked to be here 31 years old and thinking about some shit that happened to me 15 years ago! Anyways, the Sr Staff Member had actually been my oldcomer after I copped out the second or third time, so we actually had kind of a cool relationship already. I actually miss him. He was one of the few who I felt tried to be fair and treat me with respect. His name was Brady Minnick and the graduate who I didn't know, but I had heard she had quite a reputation for fucking around with people, I believe her name was Shannon. She lived over near Brady Minnick in either Vienna or Falls Church, I really don't remember. The only thing I really remember about her place was this 6 person hot tub which was in her 1st floor living room of her house. I guess it was her Mom's place, I think her parents were divorced. Well, after this incident, I thought for sure I was fucked and would be started over or setback again for the umpteenth time, for some trumped up bullshit, so I started planning my escape shortly thereafter. This incident happpened around early November 1987, and I copped out for the last time on December 2, 1987. I spent over 45 days run away to ensure my termination, and actually ran into another Sr. Staff Member, either Brendan McNamara or Chris Scoggins, in Springfield Mall and asked them to confirm whether or not I had been terminated yet before attempting to return home. Is that fucked up or what?
Please e-mail if you want to chat more.

[ClayL]

I was in Atlanta, you know 2221 Austell Rd., for 20-22 months. (Funny how I can remember that after dang near 15 years.) I spent about 9 months on first phase and the bulk of the time on 5th. If you were going to be a straight lifer 5th was the place to be. The OBServation book was more than a rat sheet and there were 2 of them. One was the 5th phase obsbook where you were expected to write, at least once a week (I think) BS about what you were doing. I know all I put there was BS. The other was for all the other phases. This is where the 5th pahsers praticed pratical politics. You write good stuff about your favorites and make snide comments about other people's favorites. The 5th phasers regularly talked about everybody. When I made 5th I got a different rule sheet than the normal one.

I am honestly an exceptional idiot because when I finally graduated I relasped and then sign myself BACK into straight. This time I became a staff member. Yeah, I know, some of you will now consider me the enemy. I eventually wound up a level 2 junior staff member on the 5th phase team. Being the ranking staff member on this team I was in charge of the days-off schedule. Every so often, I would give clients 8days in a row and then go tell them if I saw them during that time I would be pissed. Eventually, I got taken to task for this practice. Go figure?

The most fun I had though was on 4th phase. I worked it out so most of the guys and I went snow skiing one Sat. It was perhaps the most difficult thing I have ever pulled off. A lot of fun though....

My career (HA!) at straight ended when I resigned calling the executive staff incompetent and nothing but a bunch of stooges and neo-nazis. That went over REAL well. Funny though, you'd think people so big on being honest wouldn't mind hearing it themselves.

Clay

PS Are there any other people from Atlanta here? EarthMother almost sounds like someone I should know....

[Anonymous]

I can relate (oops! did I just say that!?!) to Ladyjer about people not writing down phone #'s.  I had a corp-type job where it was imperetive that the cust. wrote down the myriad of phone #'s I was responsible for providing...I too could tell they were b.s. ing me by not scribing them down...

So after I'd ask them to write the #'s down, I'd tell them to read it back to me, "for clairity purposes!" After a few seconds of guilty dead silence, I'd pretty much laugh at them...

Pathetic...The things I did to keep myself entertained on that gig...

[Anonymous]

I remember that Obs book...I always thought it was a b.s. tattle sheet & a veiled attempt at clandestine idle gossip...I think I only read it a 1/2 dozen times when I was on 5th phase...I'm also suprised that I didn't get ripped for my lack of contribution...I'd barely write in it...I think I was pissed because you got shit for taking time to read it and got similar shit for not taking time to read it...So the good ol' passive agro kicked in & I thought to myself...f-it I'll just avoid the damn thing all together...

[Anonymous]

and of course...Who could forget the creative ways of having a clandestine wank?

[romulusmagnas]

Yes, one truly great day in particular, it was the day I awoke, in my own home strangely enough, due to my having finally been placed on second phase, and convinced my mother to remove me from that wretched place. I have forgotten many things associated with my time at straight but never in all my days will I forget the feel, the smell, the very taste of freedom I felt on that day, the feeling of walking down the street free of that place and soon to be of age(18) and never again to allow anyone to incarcerate me. I went to the mall caught a movie - star wars if memory serves - and got a job at the boat place right across from the mall, yeah that was one great day.

[rox76]

I remember a good day after I was transfered from my previous oldcomers "house of hell". Early on first phase I was taken to a home in Pinellas Park Florida and brought into a bedroom that was infested with roaches.  I wish I was exagerating, but the room had just been exterminated (roaches smashed with the family broom)and more roaches crawling on the walls, ceiling, etc...  The two mattresses were on the floor and four females shared them.  My bed partner happened to be very large and made sexual advances the entire night. Due to my young age, fear of worse treatment and hatred of roaches crawling on me, I laid there stiff and scared and I got little to no sleep. In the morning I woke to a roache just ready to fall on me from the ceiling.  Back at the straight hot box, I got the courage to complain to a staff member of the lesbian/pervert who kept pushing her sweaty fat stinky body on me.  I was sent to another home that night and it was heaven.  I took a shower, had a snack and slept in a clean bed.  Wow, best memory I can think of.

[Anonymous]

yeah, i can think of a few.  i spent 6 months on 1st phase, so it mostly dreary hell, but there were a couple of host families i stayed with who were super nice people.  they would give us real meals at night, and the parents would hang out and talk with us try to make us feel welcome.  one particular day i can think of is this host mom made us chocolate-chip pankcakes for breakfast.  i'm pretty sure sugar wasn't allowed, am i right?  anyway, her 5th phaser son also showed me his Gibson SG electric guitar that day, which made me extremely happy even though i didn't get to play it or anything.

by the way, how do you register for these forums?  i don't see a button anywhere.

[kosmonaut]

Doh!  I found the register button.  Thanks anyway!

[Anonymous]

One of my best Straight memories were the "skit raps". This was one of the few times we were allowed to be unserious. We divided up into small groups and came up with creative skits that didn't have to have anything to do with Straight. It was "just for fun" and desperately needed.

I did this one skit with a young lad whose name was Shane I think. He played Darth Vader and I played Luke Skywalker. We reenacted the light saber fight scene at the end of The Empire Strikes Back. "Join me, Luke". Hoooo--paaahhh  Hoooo-pah! (Really whiny mark hamil voice) "I will never join you!" Slash and bash slash and bash slash and bash.

The "cue" was for me to wink at Shane. I winked. Shane (as Vader) then proceeded to sever my hand from my body like in the movie. I put my finger in my mouth and made a popping sound and pulled my hand up into my shirtsleeve for effect. Then, we used our creative liberty. Instead of the movie continuing as it is supposed to I repeatedly whine and yell "MY HAND! MY HAND! YOU CUT OFF MY HAND! AAAAAHHHHH! MY HAND! OWW! OOOWWW! MY HAND!" :rofl:

[Don Smith]

Flying up to Cincinnati
Making 2nd Phase
Making 3rd Phase
Making 4th Phase
Making 5th Phase
7th Stepping
Being elected Officer
Writing my last madatory MI
Going on Staff
LEAVING STAFF!!

Don

[SilmarilOne]

Wow, this is really weird, but the best days in straight were the first and the last.   YOu may say WHAAA??  Allow me to explain.  I was a miserable 13 year old.  I had been living through years of physical and emotional abuse at the hands of my mother's second husband, getting beaten up at school every day because I liked to hang out with girls and read books, and then being bounced around to youth homes and relatives because I finally snapped one day and fought back against my stepmonster as he was beating up my little sister.  My first day at straight happened to be one of those touchy-feely days where no one was being confronted, I came in at night, and it was a "love rap" or some such nonsense.  People gave me hugs and smiled at me and seemed to like me without question.  I felt oddly happy for the first time I could remember. (and the last for a very long time.)

The next day the torture began, of course, and my rude awakening.  I spent 6 months not speaking, and misbehaving, and even attempting suicide by trying to grab the steering wheel of the oldcomers car and crash it on the freeway.

The second happy day, was when, after bullshitting my way all the way to jr. staff, I had been on for I think a month, when I successfully sold my story to the director that my grandparents in Palm Beach were getting old and needed me to take care of them, and sitting in his office, I had to work hard to hide the elation I felt inside when he said he would let me resign and go.  

Of course for a while after the paranoia that I wasn't 18 yet would dog me, but I only had 9 months or so to go.

--thomas--

[Froderik]

Someone took a bunch of us waterskiing when I was on 4th phase. I had never been before, so this was fun.

It might have been when I was on 1st phase that I was allowed to play the guitar in the front of group. I hadn't remembered that this really happened (not just my imagination) until recently when someone had brought it up in a Private Message. I had played "Mood For A Day", an acoustic piece by Yes. I think that was the only song I played. I remember getting some applause, but afterward, there were some people who "didn't feel good about" hearing that particular selection. Oh, well...you can't please all of ther people all of the time... :grin:

[gduncan]

A good day for me was getting a full cup of juice for lunch and/or dinner and getting lots of ice.  I would sit in my chair and savor each cube while I was "getting in my head" about all the places I'd rather be.  

Another good day was being chosen to work in the kitchen and getting to drink as much as I wanted as well as standing in the refrigerator on those days when it was blistering hot.  

Days off with family were good too.  I remember  in '81 when you made second phase you got Saturday's off.  I think this was for out of town families only so that you could work on the family relationship.  I remember that privilege didn't last long.

[mithygato]

Straight up -

When I was 17 living on the street in Plano(zeig heil) Texas, I was arrested for that evil weed (about a 1/4 lb.) and court ordered into Straight.
My parents (especially Mother) equated smoking pot with using heroin or cocaine - plus they wanted someone else to deal with their "problem".

Their answer was to throw me out at 16 - even though I worked part-time and was doing more than O.K. in school.

Anyway, G.Duncan bro., I noticed that when I was in jail, that's what everyone WANTED the most (lots of cold drinks (MMMMMM ICE), and getting to work in the kitchen).  Coincidence?

We all knew deep down inside our soul, that the first time we walked in the main room and saw that sideshow - that we were incarcerated . . . we were stuck.
For as long as I live I will never forget that chilling first time I saw people acting like they were rabid zombies - some looking like they were completly out of their mind.

Within an hour I'd guess I told them to take me back to jail, and I was told basically the only way is if I did some serious physical harm to someone.  And would be charged with a felony assault. ::bandit::  

Mithy