The Ryan Story (part 1)

I decided this story would make more sense ( and be longer than two paragraphs) if I gave some background first.
I know you're excited.

Part 1: The New Kids


In 2006, a new family moved into our area, and started attending our church.
The Rathes were a family of six:
a mom and dad,

Danielle- the oldest, with auburn hair and a different last name (still don't know that story...); she didn't live with them, she was just starting college,

Ryan- the oldest boy, light brown hair with a hint of red in it, he was one year older than me,

(apparently kittens make you look manly)

 Patrick- the middle boy, shaggy blonde hair, and about a year and a half younger than me,

and Timothy (Timmy)- youngest, about 2 1/2 years younger than me, and he was a ginger (obviously).











After a few weeks of random observation and a few sporadic / short conversations with them, I figured I would end up getting along with Patrick the best. His personality was sort of like mine, and he was a pretty good skateboarder (this was back when I still skated all the time, even though I was not very good).


Months later, they were all my "acquaintances", and I noticed that the youngest, Timmy, was my stalker.


He would randomly show up a few feet away, or down the hall. He was always around somewhere.

This was a youth group scavenger hunt. Patrick (who for some reason shaved his head) is in the top left, and Timmy's next to him. Almost every picture from that activity had him giving me bunny ears. Yeah. I don't know either. And yes, we're in a porta-a-potty.

One time that really freaked me out- I noticed him following me down the hall, so I went into the bathroom. After a few minutes, I came out, and he was lounging against the wall about 5 feet away. When he saw that I had spotted him, he scurried off somewhere.

Almost a year went by and my stalker finally gave up. I didn't really care anyway, he was like 12, what was he going to do?


Me and my friend Mary Anne (front right in above picture) had a private joke, because her older sister Danielle was being stalked by Ryan. Well, not exactly stalked, but everyone knew that he liked her. Every once in a while he'd give her flowers- Valentine's Day, her birthday. In church he would always sit somewhere near her.


When she got a boyfriend, Ryan finally left her alone.


After all those situations quieted down, everything went back to normal. The Rathes were settling in pretty well, they had friends.


I ended up talking little stalker Timmy the most. Patrick was always hanging out with some random guys from church, and Ryan was friends with my older brother's group. After Timmy got over following me around, he was actually an okay kid. Usually.


to be continued...