When my father settled down in was in Sydney. Our first house was on the corner of Rigby Road & Centre St. It was like a giant playhouse too big for the three of us – Mom, Dad & me. Living-room, dining room, kitchen & a parlour on the first floor, another four rooms on the 2nd floor. So I had my own bedroom plus a play room. Attic, basement with a sprawling hot-air coal furnace. Barn-size garage too.
It was a mid-income neighbourhood. Lots of families. I remember being friends with a girl who lived across the street, whose name may have been Wendy. There was a boy I hung around with but I don’t remove this name at all. We lived there for about a year.
I was enrolled in Colby School (now Brookland Elementary) at corner of Royal Ave. & Cottage Road. I can’t recall if I was there for the start of the school term or not. I do recall my Dad walking to school along Center St the first few days to make sure I knew my way. It was about a 5min walk. The first time I walk home along I ended up walking along Cottage Road & getting lost.
This past week I did some research on Colby Elementary (there is a FB page https://www.facebook.com/groups/colbyschool/). That research brought back lots of memories but none of my first year there. Colby went up to Grade VI. So I was there for IV & V. There was a special ed class in the basement. My memories of some teachers names have stuck with me though – Miss Greenwell, Mrs. Butterworth, Mrs. McLeod.
The building was essentially a box with windows. Two floors, two entrances one for boys, one for girls. Big school yard in back for recess where we would play baseball, hopscotch – nothing organized. at the end of the school yard was Wash Brook – which ran through the city. It was forbidden territory during school hours.
Summer of that year I went to Wales with my mother & when we returned my father had moved us into a smaller house on Cottage Road. More about that & some actual school moments next week 🙂
Sing
as a child I liked to sing
used to do it a lot
around the house
on my way to school
with my dad when we went fishing
with my sisters when they got old enough
we would sing bits of songs off the radio
sing along with records of my mother
Mario Lanza
drink drink drink
each trying to out sing the other
then there was
hey you with the stars in your eyes
that would become
hey there
you with sausages in your eyes
don’t fry my heart
it always broke us up
hey there
you with the bananas in your eyes
don’t monkey with my heart
hey there
you with the beans in your ears
can’t you hear I love you
the children choir at the United Church
was looking for new members
my mom suggested
it would be great opportunity
I could learn to sing for real
learn how to carry a tune
instead of burying it under volume
a bunch kids at the church hall
were lined up according to height
mostly girls and some boys
mostly around my age 10 to 12
we where given a song sheet
words between dangling fangs of music
I didn’t know notes rests
we where told
just worry about the words
a woman played a few notes on the piano
we started in with a din
a few tries and we worked through it
then girls only boys only
individually
some got a nod from her
yes you’ll do fine
my turn she played a few notes
I started
no no no this note
finally she gave up
thank you but you really can’t …
blood rushed to my face ears
the other kids gawked at me
I ran out ran home
told my mother
I never wanted to sing
never ever ever
and really haven’t
except for the occasional
hey there
you with the fingers in your ears
every Tuesday 2019
July
Stratford Festival – Nathan The Wise
August 2-13: getting back to my roots in Cape Breton 
August 8: Highland Arts Theatre: https://www.highlandartstheatre.com
Hey! Now you can give me $$$ to defray blog fees & buy coffee on my trip to Cape Breton – sweet,eh? paypal.me/TOpoet
September
Shaw Festival – Sex (Mae West)
Stratford Festival – Little Shop Of Horrors 
June – Capturing Fire 2020 – Washington D.C. 
capfireslam.org
Hey! Or you can give me $$$ to defray blog fees & buy coffee in Washington at 2020’s capfireslam.org – sweet, eh? paypal.me/TOpoet
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