Sweet Details Of Early Life / Part 5

See Parts 1-4 in the archive

Time marched on and eventually I arrived at the seventh grade. It was here that something considerably significant took place which marked my thinking to the  present day. The teacher had made it a part of the daily curriculum  that every student was to keep  a diary and on certain appointed days on a rotation basis each student would take a turn in front of class to read their entry for the day.    Well as it turned out everyone in the class seemed to enjoy hearing mine most of all and it wasn't but a short period of time that I was asked by the same teacher if I wouldn't mind reading mine each and every day!

  He claimed I had a pretty good talent for writing short stories and had a good imagination.  I asked him, "You want me to read my diary every day in front of the class?" He responded in the affirmative.  Don't misunderstand me at all I was flattered to say the least but I also thought how strange  that if another does a diary and find out even one other person has forged their way in to have a look and a peak, how perturbed and upset they become and here I'm going to be sharing  with the world, my most personal inward thoughts to  be an open book for all to see.

Oh well, I guess  nobody could say  that I wasn't one fully transparent individual and Id probably be known as the one who had no secrets for the simple reason I wasn't allowed to have any!  Joking aside I did feel honoured and flattered like I say that he asked me to do it so I willingly complied to his request.  Some weeks later he then asked if I'd consider writing a children's book and another student of the class who was particularly talented at art would do the illustrations. This was never published professionally but just an in school thing and was to be read and hopefully enjoyed by students in  the lower grades.

 I recall even to this day the title of my story was 'Hot Day Gold'.  The theme had to do with a little  boy walking along side a creek bank and happens to observe  some gold, glittery objects in the water. He runs home grabs his wagon and tells a friend along the way. They both then hurry back down to the creek with the  wagon in toll with  the intent of doing some prospecting,  knowing that for sure they were going to become rich and prosperous, making their parents  proud to say the least, or embarrassed....I'll let you take your pick.

Both boys thought they had found the proverbial gold at the end of the rainbow and if there ever was a list of those among humanity who would soon strike it rich they felt  their names most most assuredly were on the top!    I think all in all we made about 200 copies of the book and if it so happens that some of those students in later life embraced a profitable prospecting career then maybe they`ve  got me to thank.  It could be just as true however that I need to apologize to them for inspiring them to have such a dream but I think I was quick to point out that all that glitters isn`t necessarily gold a lesson i'm sure we can apply to a great many other things in life as well.

After completing the book I was asked if i would consider writing a play.  I wrote two different ones both of which were performed by our class to younger grades, plus to a parents night visiting the school.    The town newspaper reported about my play and took pictures of it being performed. I HAD ARRIVED!  I WAS FAMOUS, at least among  the twenty-five or thirty kids of my class which probably forgot all about it one week later.

Part 6 soon to arrive