In the third grade we were individually required to write and publish a book. All this really meant is that the book
would be covered in a semi hardcover fashionable fabric, typed, illustrated by
yours truly, bound and stamped with a shiny gold seal. This is when my two
bestsellers were written. “The Cat who had
no Claws” debuted on my parents’ mantle for the while right next to “The Girl With Too Many Names.” Recently,
over a latte I re-read these literary masterpieces. The first book was simply
about cat’s struggle to catch and eat birds without the necessary claws. The
latter, however was about a girl who just had TOO many names. This poor girl
would have to recite these names every time she was asked what her name was. The
other side of the problem, she had to be called by ALL of these names or she
would not respond. One name (that I had given her) really caught my eye.
“Speakeasy.” I had never heard this word before or even said it, but I liked
the way it sounded. Ironic that a girl with so many names could speak….easy (or
easily to be grammatically correct.) By definition a speakeasy is a (noun) saloon or
nightclub selling alcoholic beverages illegally, especially during Prohibition.
Why on Earth? I truly think that I had just made it up and it just so happened
to be a real word. Once in college I had seen my American History professor
grading our essays over a pint (or two) in the campus bar. Needless to say I
received an A on that paper, yet today, I shamefully retain little to no
American History. I pictured my third grade teacher editing this book over a
glass of wine putting huge red check marks all over the page. This led me to
another image of Ralphie’s teacher in his own daydream correcting his
composition on the Red Ryder BB Gun that he so desperately wanted for Christmas.
That particular third grade teacher did in fact
tell me that I had a “gift” for writing. I never forgot that. Every single time
I wrote any piece of creative writing I thought of it.
In middle school, I went on to place 3rd
in the 4H Tropicana Speech contest where I wrote a heavily embellished piece on
my home country Trinidad (The Emerald Isle) Uh what? It was all very encyclopedia researched since in 1993 Trinidad might as well have been Tanzania to my classmates.
"Mom, there's nothing in the encyclopedia about Trinidaddddd!" This was
still a time where students used the public library, their parents Encyclopedia
Britannica set and their elders for historical information.
The Second Place
winner wrote about her home country, Columbia, and said a few words in Spanish. What? We didn't know she could speak Spanish........AMAZING!
The first place winner spoke about her native land, England, and pronounced the
word “hamburger” in a heavy English accent, which was a crowd favourite, and
the auditorium erupted in laughter. Cheap shot Jemma, we all know Americans LOVE hamburgers :)
Today’s positive note:
Children want to hear that they’ve
done well. Of all the words you share with the little people make them
worthwhile.
Other unforgettable sayings/quotes
I remember:
Fork on the left ------------when setting a table
Lefty loosey, righty tighty
-------------------when unscrewing/tightening anything
Right on red
----------------------------ONLY in the states
“Why is the carpet all WET Todd?”
------------National Lampoons Christmas Vacation
“He’ll keep calling me, he’ll keep
calling me ‘till I come over” --------------------Cameron sitting in his car
stewing whether or not to go to Ferris Bueller’s house.
……….with popcorn and a LATTE
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