September 1st, 1989

Dear diary, I believe I'm a good person you know I think that there's good in everyone but here we are, first day of senior year! And uh I look around at these kids that I've known all my life and I ask myself, what happened? We were so tiny happy and shiny playing tag and getting chased. Singing and clapping, laughing, and napping, baking cookies eating paste. Then we got bigger, that was the trigger like the Huns invading Rome. Welcome to my school this ain't no high school this is the Thunderdome, hold your breath and count the days we're graduating soon. College will be paradise if I'm not dead by June, but I know, I know, life can be beautiful I pray, I pray, for a better way. If we changed back then, we could change again, we can be beautiful, just not today. Things will get better as soon as my letter comes from Harvard, Duke, or Brown, wait from this coma take my diploma then I can blow this town. Dream of ivy-covered walls and smoky french cafes. Fight the urge to strike a match and set this dump a blaze.