St. Patrick's Day part 2 by Bonnie Le Hamilton

 

Last week Konnie writing about St. Patrick’s Day traditions brought back some memories. Starting with Jon must have pinched her in third grade, or she didn’t remember the whole deal because in fourth grade (our last year to attend that school) between Valentine’s Day and St. Patrick’s Day Jon repeatedly told everyone he’d learned that non-Irish folks were supposed to wear YELLOW on St. Patrick’s Day, and such folks could get pinched if they weren’t.

Now personally, I wondered why he kept stressing the wearing of yellow since our own shared grandmother was of Irish descent complete with an Irish maiden name. And I really should have said something to him about grandma’s Irish heritage, but I didn’t. My mistake.

Now, I’ve rarely ever worn green, and that year I didn’t have anything at all in my wardrobe which at least some green in it (not even in the dirty clothes). Momma fixed that by making a shamrock out of green construction paper and pinning it to my blouse.

If I recall correctly, she did the same for Konnie, and our brother.

Upon entering school, Jon did sneak up on us, and he might well have gotten Konnie before she got her coat off, but he got me while I had my coat off my shoulders, thereby with my own shamrock in full view.

The jerk defended pinching me on the grounds I wasn’t wearing yellow. I punched the idiot and reminded him of our shared grandmother’s name, which also happens to be the middle name of all our aunts and uncles on that side, so there was no way he didn’t know.

Our brother, noting that Jon was wearing yellow, not green pinched Jon, then proceeded to tell the all kids in the school that our family, the side we're related to Jon on, is of Irish descent, meaning our cousin was inappropriately dressed for the day.

And yes, that school did ban pinching after that, because Jon went home black and blue at the end of that day, far too many of our fellow classmates were sick and tired of Jon’s excessive pinches on St. Patrick’s Day, and way more had been pinched by him that morning than previous years because very few were wearing yellow.

And, like I said, I did punch the idiot. I actually punched him about the time the teacher came to see what the hullabaloo was out in the corridor. She witnessed it, but I didn’t get in trouble because the pinch marks on both mine and Konnie’s arms and the fact that we are of Irish descent, and the teacher, who clearly knew both our mothers knew full well what their full names were.

Jon does have younger siblings, and two at least were in school, but if I recall correctly the older of the two was wearing something which had both green and yellow in it because I remember talking to her about how wise she’d been, but I can’t remember for sure about the younger ones.

Anyway, Jon had most defiantly pinched way too hard every year on St. Patrick’s Day (which was why we were so adamant that we needed to wear green that morning), but I have no idea when the tradition changed from pinching those that didn’t wear green (or yellow as the case may be). I only learned about this Leprechaun hunting shtick a few years ago when a young mother mentioned playing tricks on her daughters for St. Patrick’s Day.

At any rate, I applaud doing away with pinching. I applaud making it just something fun to do. Chocolate gold coins and leprechaun traps are a whole lot more fun.

It’s great to know no more kids are going to wake up on the St. Patrick’s Day and panic because they have nothing green to wear. No more kids are going to fear what will happen when the known hard pincher at school sees them without green.

Anyone know when this started? And where?

I’m not saying I’m sorry the pinching tradition is over; I’m actually quite glad no more kids have to endure any more bruising pinches like Jon always delt out, I’m just curious where and when it started is all.

Certainly not at any time while I was living at home. And nobody told me about it for that short-lived period when I did have children in my home. So, I’m guessing it’s a 21st-century thing. I did not have any children in this century.

I clearly remember my panic that morning back in fourth grade. Mine, and Konnie’s, and Bryon’s. That’s why Momma came up with the construction paper shamrocks in the first place.

Well, happy writing everyone!