" MaryJane"

My husband was telling me a story today about one of our friends. He said that when our friends daughter came across a picture of him drinking a beer he had to tell her that he was of legal age when he was actually only 17.

I responded by saying at least he was able to get away with that, unlike myself, who thanks to you, had a full report given to my children on my behavior during my teenage years, without my consent.

This conversation occurring today is what led me to write the following:

When I was young I was very focused on academics and always worried more about doing everything I should be doing, and not getting into trouble, which to tell you the truth, led to my not having much fun.

When I started high school I was 14 years old and in the 10Th grade. I was very focused on the work I had to do to get A's and that sort of thing... until my junior year....

I got my first serious boyfriend. I just knew that I was madly in love. This put things in a whole new light for me. I still made good grades but I became more than ready to add major fun to my daily schedule.

I wanted to spend all the time that I could with him and so he began to come over to my house every day after school. He was a senior and had much more experience than I did in the whole fun department.

I'm not sure how my parents felt about him at first, but once they had gotten to know him , I convinced them to let me started going out on dates with him, even though I was only 15.

My argument was that I had started school at a very young age and I would graduate when I was 16, and be socially ruined for the rest of my life, if they didn't let me date while there was still time.

Now, on to the Maryjane thing... on one of our very first dates he brought out a joint and we smoked it together. I was horrified at first because I was such a little lady and my mother had raised me to behave myself at all times and that certainly included not partaking in illegal substances.

After the first time, however, I began to relax about it and wouldn't you know as soon as I did my boyfriend suddenly became concerned about my well being, and said he no longer wanted me to participate in having that particular type of fun.

I listened to him...... for awhile....and then, as luck would have it..... we broke up.

I began spending more time with my friends and the more time I spent with them the more I realized my ex boyfriend had no idea what the definition of fun was.

I had turned 16 by this time and like all teenagers, my friends and I knew all there was to know. On Friday and Saturday nights we put our make up and perfume on, rolled our hair, put on dresses and stilettos,heavy on the lip gloss and hit the door running... we were dangerous.

We were going to bars by the airport like Adams, which later became Cowboys, The Scotch House,and the Limelight in Atlanta. We were drinking and flirting and chasing guys and doing all the things that make mothers proud.

Among my activities with my friends was a revival of the smoking of the occasional funny little cigarettes.

One of my friends just happened to have an older brother with a nightstand drawer containing a scoop, and an ample supply of a substance that when rolled up in a 1.5 could contribute greatly to a good time.

Each and every weekend we helped ourselves and her brother would in turn, see us, and threaten our lives for thievery.

During my wilder days with my friends I met my now husband, who by the way, has never had so much as a tobacco product to his lips.

At any rate, being my friend during this time afforded him the opportunity to learn about all of my "fun" activities which he never seemed to have a problem with at the time.

what I was not thinking about was the fact that he could be storing up this information to use against me later in life, but that is exactly what happened, and use it against me he did.

He had a talk with our children when they became young adults, that they found quite hilarious and entertaining.

He informed them that their mother smoked more than Virginia Slims during her high school days...He also added that his nickname for me was Maryjane...which I might add is actually the way that I am still listed in his cell phone contacts.

My husband not only told our children about my past behavior, he also shared stories of my behavior at the police department where he works..... including the whole Maryjane tag.

I suppose I should be embarrassed that he did that, but all I can think is I hope that they all had fun too. I know of at least one of them that did,because he told me about it. I wish I had known him then, I think we would have had lots of fun together. Talk about a hot mess.

Anyway.....It's my story so I thought that I might as well tell it......especially considering the fact that my husband has already been sharing it like the town crier.

Let me just add that when my husband and I started dating, I stopped running around with my friends as much, and I never smoked another funny little cigarette.

When all was said and done my children laughed it off and made fun of me. Of course, they still occasionally tease me about it and probably always will.....

Do I regret my Shotgun Maryjane days? No...not really...and Maryjane? .....Darlin'....I've been called worse.......