I’m captivated by the Channel 10 series Puberty Blues. There are many reasons - most based on nostalgia - but especially because the friendship between
the two main characters reminds me so very much of the friendships of my teen years,
particularly the one formed with my first high school ‘bestie.’ The hair styles and wardrobe matches are
scarily close: Staggers jeans, snug little "Tommy" (the rock opera) tee shirt, Converse hi-tops and Sportsgirl tote, anyone?
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| Teen friendship is in a class of its own. ("Puberty Blues" Photo courtesy Network 10) |
Lesley and I began secondary school in the same class, still ‘hanging’ with girls we knew from our previous schools. Yet just a week into Year 8,
following a series of exchanged glances and smiles, we claimed a double
desk for ourselves, and sat together in class for the next three years (not
including the brief teacher-enforced separations familiar to any such twosome).
Our homes were several kilometres apart, in opposite directions, so sometimes when we arrived home, we’d phone each other (back in the days when nobody had a mobile, let alone Facebook) to continue a chat we began at the school gates. Our mothers muttered in the background “You were with her all day! Whatever do you find to talk about?”
Our homes were several kilometres apart, in opposite directions, so sometimes when we arrived home, we’d phone each other (back in the days when nobody had a mobile, let alone Facebook) to continue a chat we began at the school gates. Our mothers muttered in the background “You were with her all day! Whatever do you find to talk about?”
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| These were our 'text messages,' kiddies. |
It’s intriguing how an earlier generation forgets the depth of a teen girl friendship – unless perhaps, such attachments weren’t as deep in ‘their day?’ Yet literature from earlier eras suggests that teen years friendships are perennially meaningful; their depth seems almost a rite of passage
In truth, we always had something to talk about: everything and
nothing. Even in class, matters that
couldn’t wait until lunchtime, would be dealt with via Secret Notes.
In an all-girls school, friendships were probably less complicated, since there were no boys to distract or divide us. Others may argue the all-female hormonal vibe was gossip fuel in itself. A fond memory is the simple pleasure of sitting on the school oval at recess or lunch time, uniforms tucked into our knickers as we slathered baby oil on our legs and tried to get a tan happening. (Side note: The 1970s was pre-sun awareness, a time when radio stations sent dune buggies to beaches to provide free sprays of coconut oil for sunbathers. On hot days, they'd helpfully broadcast half-hourly reminders to ‘turn over’ to ensure you got an even tan.)
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| NOT on my turntable. *adds horns*. |
Lesley liked Donny Osmond; my heart belonged to David Cassidy. She was into Sonny & Cher; I preferred the Jackson Five. That was fine for a long time, because we both loved Sherbet. By age 15, when I was into Glam Rock, Lesley became obsessed with John Paul Young - deeply obsessed, for several years to come. At times, my observations on her fandom were undiplomatic. I wondered how anyone could compare “Squeak” (as JPY was known) to Queen, T-Rex, The Sweet or Elton John.
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| I know ... I know ... but I was 13 |
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| Recognise my rage? |
Our music
tastes became disparate. Neither of us
cared for the other’s opinion, so of course, began spending more time with
friends who had similar musical leanings.
There was no explosive moment and we remained on speaking terms, but I
sometimes felt sad that things were never the same, because we had some
wonderful times and a lot of great laughs.
Perhaps music was simply an allegory for other wants and needs in our lives.
Other friendships come and go, and if you’re lucky, you find even stronger ones as life goes on. Yet there’s something about the teen years – perhaps puberty combined with the ‘hothouse’ of the classroom and schoolyard – that burns those friendships into your memory.
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| Sherbet .. well, "Garth" as I called it. Guys with girl hair |
