Wearing shades in the classroom
while writing tunes
Appears to have gone over
like big lead balloons
Ahh, my second summer in Transcona, and even though I’m still dancin’, unfortunately though, unlike the song Summertime claims, the livin’ ain’t easy.
My father decided that it was time for me to become gainfully employed so he got me a job at a service station pumping gas.
Around the same time, I started growing my hair out like James Dean’s which didn’t go unnoticed at home.
So once again, I got to hear, “If I buy your clothes, you wear what I want you to wear, you eat what your mother puts in front of you, and if I pay for your haircuts, you’ll get it cut how I want it cut.”
Oops, “Sorry Dad, ain’t going to do it, I’ll pay for my haircut. (Me pictured above in shades sporting my James Dean do.)
How’s that old Sam Cooke tune go again? “Another Saturday Night, And I Ain’t Got Nobody.” Sam didn’t even know me, but he was singing about my life which was about to change.
I was standing in front of the East End Community Club cooling off when a car pulls up and a girl’s voice says, “Hey, sweetie, can you come over here for a minute?”
Doing my best James Dean, I stroll over, and the next thing I know, I’m staring at the most beautiful woman I’d ever seen.
She looked like a a seventeen or eighteen year old version of Marilyn Monroe.
As I stood there mesmerized, she asked if I had a light? When all I could manage to mumble was something about the fact that I didn’t smoke, she smiled and asked me if I could get her one?
Within minutes, I was back, and while firing her up, she said to me, “Hey, you’re kinda cute, what’s your name?” When I told her it was George, she told me that her name was Pat and then placed a piece of paper in my hand and said, ” Hey George, why don’t you call me sometime,” and with that, she disappeared into the night.
It took me a few days to work up the courage to call her, but she seemed pleased that I did, and after making a little small talk, she asked me if there were any dances were going on that weekend? When I told her that there was one at the Maple Leaf Community Club on Friday, she asked me if I would like to pick her up and take her?
Ok, picture this if you can, a fifteen-year-old punk strolling into the dance with this voluptuous Marilyn Monroe look-alike on my arm when suddenly a bunch of seniors gathered around.
They were acting like we all hung out together had been waiting for me to show up. Hell, I didn’t even think they knew my name, but they sure did that night.
Oh, what a night! I spent most of it dancing with her and wishin’ and a-hopin’ that she was one of those bad girls my Dad had always warned me about. Being only fifteen, I had no idea what you did with one of these, but I was sure ready to learn.
Unfortunately, all she taught me was how to smoke which I did in an attempt to try and look older.
However, the night wasn’t wasted because I discovered something that I’ve continued to use my whole life.
No matter how much money you make, where you went to school, where you grew up, who your parents are, or who you know, “It’s he who walks into the room with the best-looking lady on his arm who wins the game.”