Trapper Keeper

Ahhhh, the Trapper Keeper. The bulky folder holder that attempted to teach us organization at an early age.

There are probably images of the Trapper Keeper you had while you were in school flipping through your mind right now. You may be thinking of the cute little kitten or puppy covered keeper. Maybe the hotrod or fantasy image of a wizard with lightening zapping all around.

Better yet, a lighting, zapping kitten that is riding around in a hot rod that is being driven by a puppy while wearing a wizard hat.

Your keeper, your preference.

I remember walking in the school halls in the 80s and seeing them being held by just about everyone. The double, cross the arm hug hold. The one handed, cradle by the waist hold. The finger grip swing. There was even the, my books are too heavy and the hallways are too crowded, hold it on top of my head with one hand hold.

This was the state of the art, multi folder, sometimes plastic pencil pouch holding and decorated organizational part of middle and high school history.

My Trapper Keeper was very simple. It was red. Just red. Well, it was not really a Trapper Keeper at all. They were a bit out of our budget so I got a, "Honey, it looks just like it and no one will ever pay attention to what you are carrying." knock off folder holder. I had a sticker of a little trumpet on the front and a little sticker of music notes on the back. That was the only decor.

I was never into extravagant decorations. My locker did not even have a mirror in it so I could check my hair.

However, there was one decoration that I had always wanted. Not on my Trapper Keeper wannabe, but, on someone else's. I wanted my name on a girls Trapper Keeper.

To be thought of so much that she wanted to put my name on her Trapper Keeper. That...was...a...dream!!

The thought that each time she sat at her desk and opened her Trapper Keeper she smiled because my name greeted her.

Or

My name written in bubble letters by those really stinky paint markers. Neon, silver or black outlined in white that proclaimed to all of middle/highschooldom that she thought about me so much that she wanted to carry my name around. She wanted to show everyone that I am the one that was on her mind. Me.

I was a band geek. I am still a band geek. But music was all of my life in middle and high school. I was clueless about girls because I had found myself with my music. That is why the trumpet and music note were on my folder carrying contraption.

Even at this age, I am still finding myself in my music. Trying to at least. Even though I have rough nights playing my horn and it does not sound as great as I would like, it is still there. It makes me smile and I make others smile.

Rarely I see people from middle school or hight school at my gigs. Very rarely. When I do, my mind automatically shape shifts them back to school days. I remember them as they looked a long time ago. It is a good memory. I can still see them walking along with their Trapper Keepers.

I also remember when the Trapper Keepers owner decided to no longer think about the person who's name they had written. The Trapper Keeper would either be transformed or thrown away.

The transformation would include a black, stinky marker coloring over the persons name. This usually happened when they realized trying to erase the name with a pencil eraser would not remove them from view. Another transformation method would be the removal of the plastic covering that had the person to be forgotten name.

The thrown away Trapper Keepers were the ones that showed the finality of the memory. That person is gone, done, no more.

I was told that my name was on a Trapper Keeper once. That I was "Trapper Keeper liked." I do not know if my name was marked over, torn off or thrown away.

The happiness and pride of knowing you were Trapper Keeper liked was a feeling like no other. It superseded any desire to send out the proverbial "Do you like me circle one yes or no" note. The answer was already known. It was proclaimed.

If your name was on a Trapper Keeper, you were Trapper Keeper liked.

You know. If I could find the Trapper Keeper on which my name was written, I would take either out of the trash if it were thrown away or find the plastic covering that had been removed, and put it in a frame. Just so that I could look at it sometimes and remember, "Hm, I was Trapper Keeper liked once."