I s uppose that I realized I was poor when we moved and I attended a public school. In the Catholic school, the uniform was the great equalizer. In the public school, a child wearing clothes from a thrift store sat next to a child wearing clothes purchased at Nordstrom, or in my case, in California, I and J Magnin, possibly Saks.
I found the display of opulence distracting. Coming from a school where you were honored for your intellectual capabilities and going to a school where you were honored for your appearance was an upside down world for me.
Living in Daly City I felt everyone knew me. I was John Madden's sister, aka: the baby, and Earl Madden's daughter. John played several sports including football, baseball, basketball, discus and golf in a time when you just played sports for fun. Dad coached baseball, was a volunteer umpire, and single-handedly visited every merchant in town soliciting donations for snacks for The Daly City Red Sox. In my mind, I was famous.
So, it was with an abudance of confidence that I assumed my rightful place as the best student in my class wearing the ugliest clothes. Success is all in your attitude.
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