THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, May 26, 1995 TAG: 9505260044
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E1 EDITION: FINAL
SERIES: LIFE IN THE PASSING LANE
The Virginian-Pilot and The Ledger-Star has been following the paths
of four South Hampton Roads students during their senior year in high
school. This installment looks at how three of them juggle school
responsibilities with their social life.
SOURCE: BY ELIZABETH THIEL, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 73 lines
POURING RAIN has washed away 17-year-old Michelle Boyd's hopes of spending an intoxicating spring evening outdoors with her girlfriends at the Chesapeake Jubilee or the Oceanfront strip at Virginia Beach.
It's on to plan C: cruising Military Circle Mall.
The object, Michelle says, is to get out of the house and to meet people. People means guys. Cute ones, and preferably ones not too stuck on themselves to talk to four girls who are about to graduate from Chesapeake's Deep Creek High.
``The ones who talk a lot are the ones you don't want to talk to,'' Michelle says.
But this Friday night, about an hour before the mall will close, pickings are slim either way. Michelle and her three buddies slide into a practiced saunter, which is supposed to communicate simultaneously their nonchalance and their desire to be approached.
They cruise by a group of guys hanging out at one of the kiosks. Nothing.
They wander into Foot Locker to check out the people checking out the shoes. No one.
``Everybody's gotten older now,'' Michelle says. ``They're going to the clubs.'' Only one of Michelle's foursome is old enough to get into 18-and-over nightclubs. Michelle won't turn 18 until fall. Besides, her mother and father probably would frown on her going to those places.
Finally, the girls spot a couple of boys manning a booth where people can record themselves on videotape lip syncing and dancing to their favorite tunes. Michelle knows one of the boys from church.
Michelle persuades the other girls to star in a video. Against a bright blue background, holding fake microphones, the teens twist and gyrate around each other, hamming it up for the camera.
It's one of the carefree moments that shows the real meaning of life for Michelle. It's about friendship, family and personal dreams.
Flirting with boys is fun, but bottom line, three of the most important people in her life, besides her family at home, are with her in the video booth - Melodie Doughty, 18; Tawana Ricks, 17, and Cindy Jackson, 17. Tawana and Cindy are Midhelle's cousins.
The girls understand each other. They've seen each other through years of school, sports, first dates, proms, bad fashion and gerry curls.
``I don't have time for any guy friends, really,'' Michelle says. ``I have a few that I go out with every now and again but nothing serious.''
Next year, Tawana, will join her at Norfolk State University, where she has a full scholarship for basketball and track. Melodie will head to Christopher Newport University in Newport News; Cindy is trying to get into the Army, and if that fails, she might also go to NSU.
On June 15, they'll don caps and gowns for the final walk of their high school years at graduation.
But Michelle is not worried about losing out on good times with her friends. She is confident they will remain close.
``I know a lot of people, and they know me,'' she says, ``but you've got to know who your friends are.'' ILLUSTRATION: Color photo
MARTIN SMITH-RODDEN/Staff
Michelle Boyd gets into making a lip-synching video recording with
her best friends at Military Circle.
by CNB