At one time

Back when I was a kid I wanted to be a singer.  I sang or whistled everywhere I went.  I went to Owen Elementary School in Tulsa.  We had music class and the teacher was a very nice lady.  She would play the piano and we would all sing songs like El Gato. 


On a high red roof Don Gato sat.
He was there to read a letter,
(meow, meow, meow)
where the reading light was better,
(meow, meow, meow)
'Twas a love-note for Don Gato!

I loved her class.  El Gato was my favorite song!  I am surprised that I remember the name of it after all this time. 
We also had Speech class.  That teacher wasn't as nice as the music teacher.  She had a small stage in her class room and would have us stand up there and read out loud.  We also practiced the school plays on that small stage.  The Music teacher and the Speech teacher did all of the school plays together.  I was always just part of the choir.  I was ok with that, I liked to sing. 
Except for one year.  They put me up on stage with a microphone and had me sing a solo. 

 

Here is my school picture from that year. 

It was a Christmas play. 

Can you guess what song they had me sing? 

All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth. 

I wish there was video of that.  I would get the biggest laugh to see myself sing on stage.  I don't remember being afraid at all.  I was having way too much fun to be afraid.  I remember I messed part of the afternoon performance up.  I don't remember what I did wrong but I wasn't worried about it.  I was full of a child's unconscious joy at getting to do something that I loved. 

Yes I used to have reddish hair.  It runs in the family.  The picture says I was in 2nd grade.  It looks like I am dressed in winter clothes so I would have had my birthday already.  That would make me 7rys old.  It also looks like a dress that I am wearing.  That would mean my mom won the war that morning.  She would put me in a dress and I would take it off and put on pants.  She would get so mad at me  We lived 1 block up the street from the school and if I could sneak out the door before she caught me I didn't have to change. 

This time frame would the last time my mom did good enough to take care of us.  I didn't look as healthy in my school picture from the next year. 

I still enjoy singing.  I don't sing in public any more.  I am not any good at it.