LARRY DAFFNER

Where do I begin? On our senior video, Larry mentions that we probably have many reasons why we'll remember him. Yes Larry, oh yes.

Some of the Larry stories predated my arrival in Two Rivers. But the stories were legendary. Larry apparently cried one day when he couldn't get chocolate milk at lunchtime. While at recess, someone found an old pair of pantyhose blowing outside. A few kids took it upon themselves to grab it, then stretch it over Larry's head. I think Larry also peed in a corner, outside at recess as well.

My first real memory of Larry was in 5th grade, in Ms. Hynek's reading class. As was mentioned in an earlier comment, Ms. Hynek was an enormous woman. She was also a rotten person. I don't think she liked children. Great career choice!

She taught the advanced readers. And kudos to the T.R. public school system. Because there weren't enough desks in her class to seat everyone. So three or four people had to sit at the table in the front. At some point in the year, Larry found himself there.

One day, Larry got yelled at for leaning back in his chair. Ms. Hynek gave him the standard warning about how he could fall backwards. Parents and teachers love to say these sorts of things. But of course nothing ever happens... unless you're Larry Daffner. Larry continued to lean back. And sure enough, he toppled backwards. Ms. Hynek threw a fit. And for the rest of the class, she made Larry sit on the floor.

I should point out that Larry was probably a genius - seriously. The kid had a brain, and was a perfect student. His I.Q. is probably over 200. But his social skills were lacking. And he wasn't blessed with dashing good looks.

One could tell that Larry did want to fit in, and did want to be accepted. When we got to high school, he went through the normal motions - buying a senior sweatshirt, buying a team jacket... The few times that I wasn't able to ditch a pep rally, Larry was always there, screaming and cheering. I also remember him attempting to start the wave by himself. That was both funny and sad. He was unsuccessful.

Poor Larry. He could never catch a break. One of the perils of adolescence is that horrible creature called acne. I was somehow spared any major problems. But Larry... oh Larry. Larry didn't just have acne. He had some sort of super acne - the kind that completely craters your entire face, and no doubt leaves scars. I've never seen anyone who had anything close to what Larry had.

When the senior sweatshirts came out, they were adorned with the name of every graduate from the class of 1989. Well, almost everyone. Somehow an error had occurred at the print shop. And Larry's name was omitted. Yet someone like Doug Wall (who never even graduated) was listed.

I don't know this for sure. But I heard that Larry had submitted applications to several prestigious colleges, such as Harvard, Yale and Purdue. Allegedly he was accepted by all, with the exception of one. Knowing Larry, the school that turned him down was the one that he had his heart set on.

Larry was a good guy. But I think that few people ever got to know that. His socially inept reputation preceeded him. Last I knew, Larry had relocated to Texas, and was a software engineer. He probably makes more money than the rest of the class combined.

UPDATE - 1/23/06 - A recent photo of Larry has been added below. Well, if you consider 2001 recent, it's recent. Also, it turns out that Larry wanted to attend Purdue University. And he did. Way to go Larry.



UPDATE - 6/26/06 - I found this second picture of Larry. It's from his personal website. Check it out. Although it looks like he hasn't updated it in years. LARRY DAFFNER



UPDATE - 11/10/06 - Funny, Larry was actually the first person I put a picture up for. And he was also the first person I got a video up for (that I put together myself anyway). Here is Larry from our senior video.