I was in eighth grade.  Our science teacher gave us assignments to present in front of the class.  I took this seriously.  I was terrified to speak in front of anyone.  But, I went to the library and checked out books on “Optical Illusions”.  I did the research and bought poster boards as visual aids.  I reproduced the optical illusions on each poster board, and with a shaking hand I wrote a report.

I watched my fellow class members present their assignments.  All of them seemed better than mine.  I dreaded the day that the teacher would call my name.  One day, he did.

The poster boards were awkward, my report was shaking in my hand.  I went to the front of the classroom and quaked all over.  I opened my mouth and shifted the poster boards as I read my report.  After that I held up a poster board with an optical illusion on it.  The students shifted to see it.  I put it down on the floor and showed another poster board with an optical illusion on it.

Then it happened.  In those days girls wore slips or half slips under their dresses.  Mine was in pretty bad shape and I had to pin it on.  Well, the pin snapped open and my slip fell to the floor.  I dropped the poster boards to the floor, and the report fluttered after them.  The blood drained from my face and my brain froze in terror.

I made it worse.  I pulled on my half slip and pinned it on in front of everyone.  I smoothed down my dress and bent down to pick up the poster boards and my report.  Time slowed to a crawl as I made my way to my desk.  It was silent in the classroom.

Looking back, it was the ultimate optical illusion.  The teacher graciously put the poster boards on the chalk ledge for the students to see.  He called on another student.  I blushed a deep pink.

The pin let go once again in math class.  I stepped out of it, picked it up, and threw it in the garbage can.  I don’t remember a thing from math class.  But, I remember eighth grade science class.