| Chere and Lynda 1959 |
| When Lynda was 2 1/2 months old, we had her christened at the church. Everybody was so solemn and we had to sit way down front in front of all those people. It was a huge church with hundreds of people that we didn't even know. The ladies were all dressed up in hats and furs. They were all very rich. So when we stood up to sing a song with everyone else, Chere stood up on the bench behind us. The Methodist Church always plays the organ first, then everyone sings. So when they were playing the organ quietly, Chere started singing at the top of her lungs, "Hang down your head, Tom Dooley, Hang down you head and cry." That was the only song she knew, so she wanted to sing it. Richard jerked around and clasped his hand over her mouth, but the damage was already done. Everybody in that church almost cracked up. Everybody was laughing so hard, the tears were running down their cheeks, and the preacher was smiling. I was so embarrassed I wished there was a hole I could fall into and cover up. She didn't know that she had done anything wrong. She was holding the book and looking at the words and singing the only song she knew. What could possibly be wrong with that. |