August 14, 2020 – Getting Lost, Algebra Nightmares, And A Fiercely Loyal Dog With Lyn Goffaux

In this heartfelt episode recorded on August 14, 2020, Lyn Goffaux invites you back into her teenage world as she navigates the shocks of leaving home for life in a big city. She shares the decision that took her from a familiar small town into bustling Baltimore, where she, her family, and their dogs settled into a house with a big backyard, a tiny cabin, and new possibilities around every corner.Lyn paints a vivid picture of that Baltimore neighborhood, from hardwood trees glowing in the fall to flowering trees in spring that seemed magical enough for fairies to dance beneath. Her memories of white and pink blossoms reaching from top to bottom of the branches capture the wonder of a girl watching a new world bloom.School, however, brought its own kind of drama. Lyn recalls starting at Western High, feeling overwhelmed and confused, only to be abruptly told she had to transfer to Eastern High after just a few days. A simple instruction—“look for the water tower”—was supposed to guide her ride home.Instead, that vague direction turned into an unexpected adventure. Lyn boarded a random bus without checking its route, rode for what felt like forever, and realized she had no idea where she was. With only one dime left, she tried to call for help from a phone booth, misdialed, and had to accept that her last coin was gone.What followed was a long, lonely walk down what she calls a cow-path kind of street, carried by uncertainty and stubborn determination. When she finally encountered two women in a yard, their kindness changed everything; the younger woman decided on the spot to drive Lyn home, likely saving her from wandering endlessly in the wrong direction.From that day, Lyn learned a practical and symbolic life lesson: never get on a bus until you know where it is going. The next morning, she started fresh at Eastern High, this time on the right bus, and discovered a school that was less confusing but still full of challenges. One of the biggest was her Algebra II class and its notoriously unstable teacher.Lyn recounts how this teacher, rumored to throw wooden chalkboard tools across the room in frustration, turned a difficult subject into something she dreaded all day long. A mix-up with two textbooks led Lyn to do the wrong assignment, and she was publicly shamed in front of the class and called lazy. Her surprising reply—thanking the teacher for pointing out her supposed laziness—left the teacher stunned and Lyn deeply embarrassed yet quietly defiant.She also describes a painful moment when her mind wandered after the teacher said something that sparked another thought, forcing her to admit she had not heard a word of the lesson. That honest confession helped push her to finally give up Algebra II, a decision she both regrets and understands. Outside of math class, Lyn faced pressure to change herself in other ways, including a push to straighten her teeth so she could become an airline stewardess, a future she absolutely did not want.Over time, Baltimore’s bus routes became familiar instead of frightening, and Lyn began choosing to walk home simply because she could. Some of her sweetest memories center on simple pleasures, like visiting an ice cream shop that served chocolate topping made just like her own fudge, rich and comforting. Running home afterward with her dog Doc leaping playfully at her, she startled a bystander who feared Lyn might be attacked, but Lyn knew he was her devoted protector.