Lakewood High School
I went back to school. I don't know how I did it, or what would allow the principal to do it - but I 'cut a deal' with him. See, I only needed one credit to graduate. I could take just one class , then leave to work if I wanted to. But I knew last years grades were very bad, and I didn't have a car or anything at the time, or even a job yet. So I said, "I'll take a full day of classes for one semester, IF I can get my 1987 Diploma." I'm not sure if that's exactly how it went down... but that's what happened.

I actually graduated on 15 January 1988, when I went to the school to pick up that diploma. No senior pictures, no ceremony, no cap or gown... just stop by the school and pick it up. I think my friend Drew Updyke brought me to go get it.... but it could have been Tim Lubitz, or maybe Scotty Creighton.... I don't really remember... but someone had to take me to go get it..... it was more than just a piece of paper to me.... I had QUIT.... but I went back. Even more special to me - I graduated from Lakewood.... the school I had spent the most time at, and where I had the most friends.
**Note: I was not invited to the 5 year or ten year reunions for either the 1987 or the 1988 class. Nobody claimed me, because I graduated in Jan 88.**

Lake Odessa, Michigan
Back in Michigan I moved in with my friend Chele (Michele) and her family. Ya know... I don't know if I ever thanked Bruce and Sue for being so generous and taking me in like they did. They let me into their family and treated me like an equal. I actually felt like I had a little family. Anyhow, I lived with them there in Lake Odessa on the opposide of Jordan Lake from Lake-O itself. Michele, her little sister Lori, and I got into our share of trouble while living there. We used to sneak out of the house and swim across the lake so we could go hang out in town with out friends. I know... we could have walked around, but we thought swimming across was much faster and smarter! HAH! But - - I could stay with them as long as I went to school.

Somewhere along the way, I don't remember the surrounding events, but someone had stolen some rings, and money, maybe some other valuables out of the Lincoln household. Now... it was not unheard of for any or all of us girls to take a couple quarters out of the coffee can, or nickles or dimes.... we had to make up the rest of the cost for a pack of smokes, or gas money for our taxi friends every now and then. But I would have never, ever done anything to hurt Bruce or Sue or to hurt the family. They really meant a lot to me, I felt loved there. I did not take the things that were missing... but I was the only one there not a part of the bloodline, and I was the outsider juvenile who went to live there because I could not go home, and I was usually broke and semi desperate.... so I won the blame by default. I'll never forget the day Bruce kicked me out. I do not remember a word he said, I only remember the hurt that I felt and the saddness I felt, and thinking, "I didn't do it, the truth will come out." It did.

However - I was the only non family member living there so I was the natural scapegoat. Bruce had to do something, so I was kicked out of the Lincoln's before school was over. I knew if I ever really needed a place to stay, I could stay at Scotty's house, at least I thought his Mom would let me. Kay was like a second Mom to me anyhow, I even called her Mom. not that I expected her to be my mother, but it was an affectionate gesture. What a coincidence, Scotty was moving to Florida and his room would soon be free.

Frankly, I don't remember moving out of the Lincoln's, or moving into Kay's, but I was grateful that I could be there. (I told you - there is a lot I don't remember!) Anyhoo... after I graduated I worked at Meijer Thrifty Acres in Ionia for a while, but come spring / summer, I signed on at Twin City Foods, a bean processing plant there in Lake Odessa, MI. Kay was seeing a man named Dewey.... somehow, I ended up seeing Dewey Jr.! I don't really want to say anything bad or good about Dewey, so we'll just leave it at that.

At some point Dewey had heard enought about Alaska and decided, 'let's pack it up and go!' We were not in a forever and ever relationship, although exclusive, we both knew it was temporary. I did think we would have stayed friends though.

We left in the late summer or early fall of 1988.July or August maybe? I remember the drive through the Upper Pennisula and into Wisconsin. We got as far as Arnegard, North Dakota.