Jordan had a motorcycle. And a black leather jacket. And a girlfriend. I was astounded. I didn’t yet have a driver’s license.
Perhaps this is another story of a nerdy kid befriended by a cool kid. I’d rather this be a tribute to a friend who would never know how much I stand on his shoulders.
I was a year younger than most in my grade. I “skipped” fifth grade. The honor of skipping a grade was a full-frontal assault on the ego of a prepubescent boy. I was too immature to be integrated with twelve-year-olds who had mustache hairs and deepening voices.
Five years passed before I gained enough self-confidence to leave the safety of the library for the excitement of the cafeteria. That’s what the friendship of a guy with a motorcycle did for a geek like me.
Jordan and I teamed up for a history class project. From then on, Jordan took me under his wing. We skipped school to hang at the beach. He taught me how to play guitar. He taught me how to be a teen.
Soon girls invited me to parties. I got a fake ID and went to bars. My confidence level rose.
Jordan picked me up on his motorcycle on the last day of high school. Climbing on, I put my hands tightly on Jordan’s shoulders as we sped out of the parking lot.
Rabbi Evan J. Krame is an attorney and founder of The Jewish Studio in the Greater Washington area. www.thejewishstudio.org
