One December 15 was Sunday

..and this woman I'll call Ramblin' Sue was born. Not sure if she wants me to say the year so I'll it just as that--the December 15, I'm talking about was a Sunday. SUNDAY? A day of rest and Ramblin' Sue was born? I gotta laugh. Ramblin' Sue still remains anything but restful NOW. I can imagine when burst forth and I'm sure yowled loud enough so everyone knew Ramblin' Sue was finally here!

Ramblin' Sue may have seen stared each other down on the playground in grade school. Yet it was 4th grade I have my first vivid memory. We got in trouble. We sat by each other in the back of the room --wrong move there--. We passed notes to each other. I can imagine what the notes even said. This was 4th grade. I recall as we came inside from our recess, our teacher pulled us into the library. We were scolded. I don't remember what was said. I can't even remember if our moms were called. What I do remember was walking back into our classroom--all eyes on Ramblin' Sue and me as we watched our desks being separated. She on one side of the room and me on another. The SHAME!

Then fast forward to our Junior year in high school. I smile even now. It was our Junior Keggar (ya know, beer party) out in the middle of some field--literally. Ramblin' Sue picked me up in her--RAMBLER (her's was blue tho!)--

I had my beer mug in hand. Let's really forget this was my first night to partake in anything stronger than Hawaiian Punch. At the party I lasted about 30 minutes--literally--before I passed out.

What were we thinking? Nobody got hurt. You're 17, you're invincible. OK. Back to the story. I was pretty much out for the count the whole night in the back of a pick up truck. I missed the party--literally. People would shine lights on me and leave me be. Let's really forget I 'recalled' the party right before we left. After that, somehow I was poured into the back of Ramblin' Sue's rambler for the trek home.

To this day, I don't know what time we left. I don't even remember walking thru the front door. I do remember having the worse headache the next day and my Sweet Daddy Don asking me how I felt. Come to find out, Ramblin' Sue told me later they got me out of the car, and pretty much dumped me there because my dad stood at the front door--and that scared them.

She just knew my dad was gonna call her parents. He didn't. I don't remember my dad at the door at all. Through the years Ramblin' Sue laughed at that story. Through the years we talked and laughed alot and some of it--well--I just can't print here.

And for those memories, I'm glad a particular December 15 was a Sunday.

April 29, 1976 was Thursday

And on this night in 1976, I was nervous. Why? 'cause I was about to do something I never did do before. Petrified. Would I be OK? What if I disappointed? What if I just froze in the midst and couldn't continue on?

STOP. Dab the sweat from your forehead...Ain't what you think....!

This night in 1976, was OPENING NIGHT! Yep, for my high school's production of "The Music Man"! And yours truly was in it. Indeedy do! In fact, I was one of the major characters-even tho I had no lines, BUT I did have three costume changes!

In fact, if you're familiar with the play or film, in the scene where ladies are donned in bloomers and practicing being Grecian urns--I was the 'main' urn, where they would 'trickle, trickle, trickle' to! Oh man-I wish there was video of that! I wore glasses, no contacts yet, and our director told me if I could see some, don't wear the glasses. So couldn't make out the audience--yet I could hear the laughter. Oh, it was GRAND!

We had some foibles that night, yet it was opening night and we all were nervous. We got through, as we did for the next two nights of our three night run. Even to this day, I am intoxicated by the roar of the crowd and the smell of the greasepaint from those three night. Honestly, I enjoyed every moment of being part of "The Music Man, " even the rehearsals. The three girl chums of my main posse all were part of the the play, because I of me. One painted the scenery, while the two others were in the pit, feeding the actors' lines if need be.

Yep, nervous this night, cuz I was about to do something I never did do before...

Fast forward to this night in 2010--and I still smile as I look at the playbill from those nights, covered with autographs of classmates aka my fellow 'thespians." :)

Cue up the opening of the 1962 film with Robert Preston and smile too....!

Touch of Time

It's 11:23pm as I write this. Should be in bed. I told myself I was going go at 10 om tonight. Forget the blog post for today and get some sleep, I told myself.

After I was OK with the American Idol cast off tonight, I zipped thru yesterday and today's episode of Y & R--then came in my PC room to check e-mails for one last time today and there it was....

An e-mail on Facebook. I'd actually requested to "friend" this former high school class mate. He wrote back and said his heart just lept from his chest and crashed to the floor. He was shocked to hear from me. Honestly, he and I were not the best of friends. In fact, he was a pretty good rough neck and used the word 'nigger' as easily he'd slam down a Mountain Dew in the cafeteria. Since I was 50 percent of the black student body then, I had 50 percent change he aimed it at me...

Any way, this guy, I'll call him Sebastian, is the reason I became 'cool' in high school. He razzed me alot. Picked on me, especially in this one class where he sat in front of me. I believe I even wrote about him on the blog---I'll have to dig it out. Just the same, one day, I threw a zinger back him, some silliness with "honey" or "darling' in it. He turned red. The kids around him laughed. The rough neck turned beet red. And my life in high school was never quite the same way since. I believed some where along the line we shared a couple beers, yet...

On this night, Sebastian said how over the years, he's thought of the words he said to me. He said I never deserved it. Sebastian said only a real lady would even think about trying to 'friend' him after all he did. He he apologized for his behavior and hoped I would forgive him.

The touch of time takes care of everything...

Now I must get some sleep.

Missed December 20, 1975 Was Saturday

Oh, what a night! As I read my diary a smile grew on my face. It was high school, and of course, all was right with the world--there was a DANCE. Not some sock hop thing or such, but a dance either in this church basement, which were about weekly, or out at the Amory. Whichever it was--a big, BIG deal. Long before cable TV, video games--iPhones--when you had to actually go out and do something! I recall, my BFF at the time, had yet to venture to one of these affairs. I really think we were falling apart as friends by then.

I was more the the extrovert and refused to be bored, while BFF was content to study and possess melancholy thoughts of the whole world which were darker than the midnight sky. To look back, I believe BFF suffered from depression. However this was the 70's and her behaviour would be thought of probably as teenage angst. After all, a boy had broken BFF's heart, yet the boy didn't know it. Anyway, on this Saturday, BFF, me and another possee member, were in a grocery store. A good looking guy who graduated the year before, came in. He asked if we were going to the dance. We told him we were trying to talk BFF into going. He offered to buy her admission in-which I think was two bucks. And so off we went.

Now, the main thing is, in high school I kept a Kiss List. Every guy I kissed-and I mean on the mouth, I added their name on the list. Even if I kissed the guy several times, he was on the list but once. I did this, I think, to garner me some confidence with the boys. You see, I was only two of the black students in a student population of 650, and the movie "Jungle Fever" had yet been made. I'm sure the movie's male lead, actor Wesley Snipes, was probably a couple years behind me in high school, at the time.

I digress.

So at the DANCE, I did dance the night away, after drinking beer I legally wasn't able to drink yet (the age was 18, and I was few months shy) and kissed #25 (I quit the list at 153). I smile when I read of this night because I truly forgot I'd ever kissed this guy. And years later, like about 1999, while I was in Iowa for Christmas, I had a car issue. I took my car to this GMC place and there he was. Told me about his wife and kids. Time flies.

And what did I do on Sunday December 21, 1975?

Talked about oh, what a night that night before had been--of course!

October 10, 1974 was Thursday

And I day I was pretty sad. You see, a man, an older man at that, was about to finish student teaching at my high school the very next day. I was so downtrodden, as I'm sure alot of other girls were, but I didn't really care about them. Heck, I was 16 and was so sure my crush on the Substitute Teacher surpassed all others. He was 22, with blond hair, Paul Newman blue eyes, and held every high school girl's heart, including mine.

All pretty innocent. Even by today's standards: -nothing happened, except the silliness of a 16 year old girl attempts to flirt--which I yet to read the "How To" manual. My flirt skills kicked into gear one earlier Friday night, during a HS football game. I stood with my chums on the bleachers, while he stood with some others kids, but they disappeared. I guess it could have been half time. I just remember he stood by himself and I inched over to him. Made some crack if he's the student teacher. Of course, he said yes, then he asked my name.

I was hooked. None of my high school mates were as polite or as cute. For the next couple of weeks, until the night he was to say good by, I did my best to flirt and chat with him. I didn't have any class he taught, so I'd hang outside his door. And my day was made when he waved while standing in front of the class he was teaching.

Bittersweet high school memory. I figured my quality of life would suffer so after I saw him for the final time the next day. So hard to fathom he would be gone after just a few weeks in my life. Hey, I was dramatic, even then for a 16 year old. :)

Flash forward to today in 2009. I was possessed to walk around the park where I'd trek so much during my recuperation time, back in 2006. The park right by my old apartment. Was a chilled and dreary day, and driving over to that park was on my mind since last night. I just figured I'd head to the rec center before I did all my errands.

Wrong. I had to go around that park, like I use to and sit on my bench. Felt right. Felt good. I know I need to make more memories at the park, just a few blocks from my house, but today...I wanted to be in that park. I was the only there. Just like it was then. The wind brushed through the leaves and kissed my face. I always felt God was telling me all was OK. More memories and dreams of tomorrow as I sent on my bench.

Just like the day back in 1974.

As much as something changes all stays the same.

09-09-73 Delta Done

Looked in a diary today. It's all 09-09-09 today, so I wondered what I did on past 09-09's. My diary informed twas Sunday and the high school sophomore version of myself griped about homework on this rainy Sunday. There was no visit to the church house either. Even by that time, anything spiritual wasn't part of my routine--even tho the only black church, in my town, was across the street.

I also write I had to work on a speech for my French II class. I enjoyed the class. Took three years of it and remember some words in 09-09-09. Alas, for some now forgotten reason, I didn't take French my senior year. Our teacher, bless her heart, taught my dad, uncles and aunts back in the 1940's. She was a "Miss" and my chums and I wondered why she never married. We romanticized perhaps her suitor died in the war...we never knew.

Anyway, on 09-09-73, I watched the Redskins-Bears NFL game. I rooted for the Redskins (this was waaaaaaaaaaaaaaay before I had any allegiance to the Dallas Cowboys) who beat the Bears 17-3. Later I watched some Dean Martin-Jerry Lewis movie. I didn't write the title. Musta not been one of my favorites then. No cable TV either. Ya know, I had a gi-normous crush on Jerry Lewis, when I was a kid. I thought I would marry him. Don't ask. Another long forgotten reason.

I also wrote how an elderly man passed away. How I remember he and his wife, always being nice to me. How my parents seemed to really like them. Made me sad, because he and his wife were both gone. As my mom would be dead two years later on this month. I actually wrote how I wish I had a woman to talk to and how our high school guidance counselor just wasn't it.

Don't remember anything of that. Except the wish of mom. That continues today.

The last part of 09-09-73 was the number one song. Trust me, not a fave of mine, yet there were a couple songs this lady sang, I did like--just not this one. So let's cue up alittle Helen Reddy to hear her roar with "Delta Dawn"

1973...I barely remember you!

Friday Fuel

Alumni of my High School are in the midst of putting together a reunion for 4th of July 2010.

Why so far away?

Because the reunion is for all graduating classes of the BEST decade ever: 1970's! Even tho our town is small, I didn't know everybody! A good chunk, but not all. Will be great time had by all.

Right now the Alumni are on the search to get us a good 70's band. Hey, I put my vote in for Three Dog Night. I mean, every class from the BEST decade ever (aka the 1970's) can hum a little Three Dog Night. Alas, they may be out the realm of our wallet's reach.

A girl CAN dream---4th of July 2010, is still a few weeks off! :)

In the meantime, it's Friday finally, so lets cue Three Dog Night as we heard them in the 70's. Before video or CD. When vinyl and having an 8 track were the only games in town--like the way I listened to Cory Wells say: Let Me Serenade You-with my eyes shut and smile on my face.

Enjoy!

Saturday Scene

I've enterted the age of Twitter.
And need I say I really don't get it? I'm on Facebook too and still not grasped its concept.
Sure, I've been in contact with folks I've not been in contact with for years, but...
Almost as if folks have abandoned e-mails. Just like e-mails, then text messages took the place of that old fashioned invention: the telephone.
You remember the telephone? When all it did was just ring?
And your parents told you to carry a dime for the pay phone?
I'm told being on Twitter and Facebook will help network my writing and other ventures.
Really?
Guess that comes in time.
See, on Twitter gotta a couple followers, which includes two furry critters. This is after my week or so being a member.
As for Facebook-Alot of memories from the fast and furious high school days in a small central Iowa town.
It's not all bad.
On Facebook, I can play Scrabble with somebody either cross town or cross county.
That's cool even tho I still lose!

Friday Feel Good

During last week's road trip with Movie Man, he popped in a CD that after about every song I announced: 'I had that on a 45!"
He laughed. Because about the only thing Movie Man knew with that number in it was Colt 45.
I digress.
So on this Friday, after a work week was complete--yes, I'm blessed to have a job--yet even in these hard times, I STILL believe in miracles for better--I recalled the Fridays my chums would converge at my house.
On 7th Street. We were in high school.
Vinyl albums and 45's stacked high to wait their turn.
One song really ticked off my step-mother.
Pretty sure she felt we were all devil's spawn when I played it.
Didn't stop it from being on the turntable tho!
I smile now, when one particular word is uttered--
Cue Hall and Oates; "Rich Girl" and toast those teenage years when all was worried about was who completed their geometry homework so you could copy it!