We all found ourselves in a circle.
I was the first to move,
my middle school best friend the first to suggest a game.
I admit I never memorized the rhyme,
but after today it’s seared into my memory.

It goes

Down by the banks of the hanky-panky
A frog jumped from bank to bank
Saying Eebs, Ibes, Opes, Oops

She playfully slapped everyone’s ass,
and I pointed to under the bleachers and said
“here’s the make-out corner”.
My friend from theater class said she would have to bring her boyfriend back later.
We snickered everytime the coach said “balls”
and we flattered each other’s figure like the compliment-deprived teens we are.

Listen to the rhythem of the ding-dang-dong.
Michael Jackson went to town,
Pepsi-Cola shot him down
Dr. Pepper fixed him up
Now we’re talking 7-up

Slipping sips of Sprite and Cherry Coke
During our hour long lunches.
Drinking what we’re sure is some kind of drug.
We pass around the bottle and agree it smells like piss
and that Riley’s mom tried to kill us with this strange electrolyte powder.

7-Up has no caffine,
Now we’re talking Billy-Jean
Billy-Jean went downtown,
singing,
Ooo-a-ditty-ditty-dum-ditty-doo

The only way I can make it through the excersise 
is by singing Fireflies in my head, 
A song everyone finds annoying now. 
The coach does a little dance to the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air theme.
We roll our eyes but still giggle at his antics.
We pretend we only watch kids movies
to laugh at their stupidity,
but know their theme songs by heart.

Lincoln Lincoln I’ve been thinkin’
What on earth have you been drinkin’?
Is it whisky Is it wine?
Ohmygoshit’ssummertime!

I’ve never drank but I can’t say the same for them.
We’re only stupid kids,
getting our mistakes out 
while no one depends on us
But we slipped up,
and now we depend on each other.

10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1

…Time to grow up.