For the last few weeks, I’ve written about the Glendale Boys’ support group. What about the Glendale girls?
As they reached middle school, the girls were just as at-risk as the boys. They, too, needed a support group. The reading teacher, who had known the girls in elementary school, saw the need, stepped in and ran a weekly meeting for them at the community center. This time, I was just an observer.
The Girls Group was, obviously, different from the Boys Group. For one thing, it was more peaceful. Instead of arguing and fighting, the girls talked, played music and danced. Instead of grabbing whatever we brought to eat, the girls cooked. They were definitely more well-behaved on field trips.
The goals for both groups were the same: Stay in school and out of trouble. Both groups challenged themselves to do things they thought were impossible. Both groups made a commitment not to have children before they were ready. I hope they kept that promise. I hope they are all doing well.
My favorite Girls Group activity was a game they created called Talk Show. It was modeled after their favorite after-school activity ~ watching Oprah on TV.
At the end of every Girls Group meeting, the leader would say, “We have thirty minutes left. What should we do?”
“Let’s play Talk Show!’ they would shout. Hands went up, eager to volunteer.
April, a beautiful, articulate girl, who had a lot of experience watching talk shows because she often skipped school would almost always be Oprah. Lady was always one of the experts because, as everyone agreed, Lady was an expert on almost everything.
Liz, a shy girl without many friends, preferred to be a guest. The remaining girls volunteered to be additional guests or experts, depending on how many girls were available. And the show was ready to start.
Chairs were set up in the meeting room. Experts lined up in front, guests seated in back. Oprah would emerge from the hallway, holding her hairbrush like a microphone. The audience would stand, clapping and cheering enthusiastically.
One Talk Show episode still makes me laugh:
Oprah looks over the audience and announces: “Today’s show is about How To Tell If A Boy Really Likes You.” Everyone cheers.
Oprah: “Let’s get started. Liz, do you think it is hard to know if a boy likes you?”
Liz pretends to cry. She sniffles and blows her nose before starting to talk. “I just think nobody would ever like me because I am so shy. If a boy liked me, I’m sure I wouldn’t know it.”
Oprah: “We have to trust our instincts.” The leader and I look at each other, wondering if these girls have any idea what Oprah is talking about. Then she adds “And be true to yourself.”
Oprah says it is time for a commercial so she can confer with Lady, who has written a book that will be a best seller soon.
When the action resumes, Lady holds up an old dictionary with the corners torn off. “It’s all right here in this book I just wrote. My book is called, Boys Say And Do The Dumbest Things. Especially When They Like You.”
By this time, the girls are laughing so hard they can hardly breathe. Oprah tells the hairbrush it is time for another commercial so the audience can pull themselves back together.
“The main thing to remember,” says Lady when the group has her attention again, “is that boys don’t usually have a clue about what to say. So if they say anything at all, it is probably because they like you.”
Then Oprah says, “Lady, I never thought of it like that before. This is really a Light-Bulb. An Ah-Ha Moment for us.” The girls dutifully nod their heads and then roll their eyes.
“You know, I love surprising people and making them happy,” Oprah continues. “So I want everyone to know that you are getting a free copy of Lady’s book to take home with you today.”
The audience claps wildly and files out the door. They can’t wait for next week.
