Elementary School Concert

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Elementary School Concert

I was doing some soul searching and remembered a group of events I had when I was a young boy. I remember that I was a member of both the glee club, and tap dancers at my elementary and junior high school.

We were practicing all the time everyday at least half an hour.  Then there was going to be a concert given for the parents of the kids at the school, St. Pat’s.  My father was called and told that I wasn’t good enough to dance for the concert.  I remember that I was just as good as any of the other guys.  So I wondered why they had said that.  I remember I was really hurt.  Now thirty years later I realize that it wasn’t me they were trying to punish.

Then there was another concert and I had been given the solo role to sing the Frank Sinatra song “My Way”(Elvis sang it too).  The music started and I walked to the front of the stage and the Brother, the principal of the school was playing the piano.  The spotlight was on me and all the lights in the gymnasium were off.  I was the only person visible in the whole gymnasium.  All attention was focused on me.  I forgot the words to the song.  I couldn’t remember any of the words.  The Brother continues to play the piano and saying the words as he played, I still couldn’t remember.  The song came to a close and the lights came back on.  I walked to the group again in a line at the rear of the stage.  We all then walked off the stage in unison.  I then went to the area were the school band was assembled to supply the music for the concert.  I played the trombone.  I was crushed, tears fell from my eyes. 

I look back at it now and it was a valuable lesson for me on life.