My mom's family for some reason always felt warmer to me personally. I dont know why. My Grandfather on this side worked for the local borough department. From years working out in the sun, he had a very dark tan with jet black hair. My 'Nanny' was always a thin, wirey woman. Always with a smile or laugh at whatever antics my brother or me was into. My uncle still lived with them and I used to sneak up to his room and listen to his records and 8 tracks. I didnt know it at the time, but my other uncle was serving in the Air Force in Vietnam. Sleeping over at their house was always fun. It meant all of the sugar toast that we could eat. (No wonder we got so hyper there) It was from my uncle living here that I got to appreciate music from. Albums of the Beatles, Simon & Garfunkle, The Everly Bros, Blood Sweat & Tears and such were listened to over and over and really grew on me. I looked forward to going over there as I grew older to see what new sounds and bands there were to discover. As the years went by I would be introduced to music by Styx, Kansas and Boston, which has gone on to be one of my favorites.
That first summer passed as I said without much fanfare and when fall rolled around it was time for me to start school. The local elementary school was just down the block from our house. I was looking forward to school actually. For all that there seemed to be to do, I wanted to learn. I had an insatiable curiousity, a trait which I still have to this day. I wish I could make a living as a professional student. There is so much out there that is fascinating and all too often people shortchange their education. A solid education is everyone's keystone to a happy future. This is a fact that I now try to impart to my own kids on a seemingly daily basis. I dont know if its because its their father trying to give them advice that they dont listen to it, or if its just a general kid thing. I guess to an extent I was the same way....but not until much later in my school career. My first day, my mother walked me down and I met my teacher. Miss Pausic. Yes, I was only a 5 year old boy, but I knew there were fundemental differences between girls and boys. Girls had longer hair then boys did. Anyway, my teacher was tall with long blonde hair and a smile that immediately put me at ease. I went immediately to play with the toys in the room and met many of the other young kids in my class. Several of them that I would come to know very well throughout my years in school. A month after the school year started was Halloween. I dont remember for the life of me what I was, but I remember my teacher was dressed as a witch. She wore a black dress well above her knees and a black pointed hat. It definitely left an impression on me. I had the chance to talk to her again briefly when my son was going to school there almost 30 years later. Because my brothers also went through school there and my mother was pretty well known there, my teacher remembered me as well once I gave her my name. I could see her expression instantly as she did the math and realized how long she had been teaching then. I told her that I couldnt remember much about the actual class aside from a few of the other kids, but I did remember her witch costume very well. She laughed and smiled that same brilliant smile from 30 years prior and blushed a bit as well. She then told me that she wouldnt have made quite the same impression if I had her during the next year because she alternated with a full body clown costume. So I guess the luck of the draw helped shape me into the full fledged leg man that I am today.
