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My "THE KID" was Jack Schaffer. In Kindergarten, he ate the class-hamster's (Jimmy) food. In first grade he glued his finger together. In second grade he used to constantly chew on his division flash cards, and during snack he spit his grapes at people.

He must have a list though, because in sixth grade he came back from summer vacation all studly and he married my friend's sister. I talked to him last week.

But he's still THE KID. ;)

I love love love this story. I always thought Andy was a bit misunderstood!

Author's Response:

Thanks gamesetmatch!  It's neat to hear a story about The Kid who got his act together a bit!  Andy's list wasn't altogether successful, but think how much worse he could be!  If he's smelling the ladies at Dunder Mifflin Stamford and Scranton, he's learned to be really subtle, hasn't he? :) 

It's funny you mentioned hamster food.  I distinctly remember trying dry dog food when I was a little girl.  I guess I had a little bit of The Kid in me. ;)  It was edible, by the way, but remember it was the dry kind.  I'm not sure why I think that's an important distinction, as if the dry stuff would be not as disgusting to confess that you've eaten.  Also, at least it was at home, so the kids at school wouldn't have known.  I don't recall doing anything weird at school. ;)

I definitely have a soft spot for Andy.  I loved when he wasn't sure whether Jim was making fun of him, and all that was important to him was *knowing* whether Jim was, to the extent that he thanks Jim for letting him know (with a nod, I think) that "yes, I'm making fun of you again."  I think that's in keeping with the Andy I've shown here.

Thanks so much for reading and reviewing, gamesetmatch! 

Pooy Little Andy -- what a sweet little boy. I think it's brilliant and heartbreaking that he made a list of the things he wasn't going to do anymore. It's interesting what he chooses NOT to do: I won't let the Room Mothers know I smell them. This one was way too funny.

Author's Response:

Thanks, Alamos!  I really identify with Andy's mom in this one; her "He's the kid!" wail came to me in a flash one day.  But Andy, finding out he wasn't quite normal in the eyes of others, would certainly do what he could to appear normal, wouldn't he?  I find it all kind of bittersweet, and I do just love Andy.  He's really just always been this guy, I think.

And really, would just a sniff be so wrong?  As long as they don't know... they can't think he's not normal. ;) 

When I go into my kids' classrooms, I see lots of "The Kids," including my youngest, who's been in a serious "flapping when excited" phase for... way too long.  I love them all, even the ones my youngest tussles with.  And in some cases, I know their moms, and we commiserate. 

Thanks so much for reading and reviewing, Alamos!  I'm glad you enjoyed it. :)

10

That kid was Alex C. I let him borrow my markers and he ate the caps. But this is totally perfect. It fits with Andy so well.

-Rose : )

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My grade 5 teacher was named Mrs. Huber.  I can't remember what she smelled like.  The Kid was named Robert.  Actually a friend of mine.  I wish I had cooler friends.

Author's Response:

Oh, Alex, you're a good person, to hang out with The Kid!  The Kid needs all the friends s/he can get.  

You probably don't remember what Mrs. Huber smelled like because you didn't go around smelling people.  That's my take on it!

Thanks for the review! 

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Oh my gosh - this story made me feel so very sad for Andy that it brought tears to my eyes! Seriously. Great job on this. And all the excuses Andy used to keep coming downstairs reminded me so much of my daughter when she was little. I had forgotten that so thanks for helping (inadvertently) bring back such a nice memory. And I can't remember anyone from my school years that was like this, but there was a boy in my daughter's class that I swear wore orange sweatpants to school every day for a solid year when she was in 4th grade. Every day.

Author's Response:

Thank you so much, kaystar!  Tears!  Wow.  Real crying.  I did not expect that.  (/Pam)

Every kid uses those excuses, I think.  As did we, when we were young!  My children are still young enough that I not only remember it, I live it, a number of times per week, sadly.  

Orange sweatpants!  Ha!  I dated a guy once who wore bright yellow pants.  In college.  Yeesh!  Although I don't think he was ever The Kid - he just had poor taste in pants, I guess.  And he only wore them once or twice, due to my relentless mocking.  I may not have been the easiest girlfriend to have (TWSS). 

I'm really glad you liked this.  Thanks for reviewing. 

Andy has always been one of my favorite characters, and I've never seen any stories that feature him so I'm really excited about this. What a great start and I can't wait to read more!

Author's Response:

I'm so glad you like it!  There's definitely not many Andy stories; hopefully, I'll do justice to him.  I'm quite excited to see Season 4 Andy, actually.  I think he's going to be a lot of fun.

I'm afraid you'll have to wait about 3 weeks for an update.  I'm away for a couple weeks starting soon (visiting my sister in Scottsdale, naturally), and I won't really have a lot of access to a computer, particularly since no one but my husband knows anything about my writing fanfic...or my reading fanfic...or my obsessive TWoP reading and posting. 

Thanks so much for reviewing! 

This was great and makes perfect sense...now we know why Andy always tries so hard to be normal (in the process becoming extremely abnormal)! I wouldn't be surprised at all if this actually happened in his past. Great job!

Author's Response:

Thanks so much, MoreLikeSwaying!  I have to say it hit me sort of suddenly, and it was from Andy's mom's perspective of "Oh, my God, my kid is The Kid!" 

Andy does try so hard.  Sadly, as an adult, I think he often thinks he's succeeding, but we know he's not!  Poor guy.  What fun Andy will be next season, though!  I'm looking forward to that.

Thanks so much for reviewing - I'm really glad you liked it! 

10

Oh, that's so sad- and at the same time darkly funny. I can totally see it, with his strategies and lists and not. quite. getting it.

(Mark Plaster was The Kid's name, by the way).

10

Wow, this was unbelievably good...even if we didn't know who Andy turned into this could stand on its own as a great little short story.  Very funny, but touching and even a little sad in its way.  Ian Leuschner was the kid in my elementary school.  Not a well adjusted fellow at all.   Great, great job with this.

Author's Response:

Thanks so much, brokenloon!  It was a fun little story to write.  I think we can all identify a little bit with The Kid or his parents, or at least look back on our own Kid and have a little more sympathy. 

My sister had some little tic-y activities she used to do.  She actually told me a few years back (when one of my kids was being tic-y) that she'd pray to God every night when she was a kid that she'd wake up "normal"...I had no idea!  Maybe she should've had a list, but we know how well that worked out for Andy!

I'm sending good thoughts out to the Ian Leuschners and Joey Shawns of the world... 

Thanks so much for reviewing! 

10

That was oddly sweet.  A good read. 

Author's Response: Thanks, Swedge!  I do have a lot of sympathy for The Kid, since sometimes my kids do the things on Andy's list...Let's just say that I can really relate to Andy's mom.  Thanks for reviewing!

I adore Andy, and I'm alsways on the lookout for fics about him, so thank you! Also, it makes perfect sense that Andy would be The Kid, and then want to fit in. This is probably where he started suffering from crippling insecurity. I SO want to see more of this story, it has got great potential.

Author's Response:

Thanks, so much techiequeen!  Andy is definitely underrepresented on the fic front so far, although an Andy/Kelly story was just rec'd over on TWoP.  (I haven't seen it yet, but I'll bet it's great.)  I can definitely see Andy being The Kid! 

I think the adult Andy thinks he's left The Kid waaay behind (or at least that no one knows he was The Kid), but we know he hasn't!  He's still kind of the weird guy who doesn't fit in.  I'm loving what they've done with Andy since he came back from Anger Management, and I think we'll see fun things in Season 4.

It will probably be about 3 weeks before I add the next chapter; I'm going to Scottsdale to visit my sister.

Thanks so much for reviewing!  I'm really glad you liked it. 

Aw, Andy.  I just want to hug him.

And, there seemed to be a new That Kid every year in my school.  And, invariably, That Kid would develop an INSANE crush on me.   And no other boy would.   That kind of sucked, being That Kid's love interest.   I ran and hid a lot.   Oh, god.   I was "That Girl."   and not in a sassy, Marlo Thomas kind of way.   Sigh.