Thanks to some photos posted on Facebook (one of which I blogged about on January 24th) I have found myself reliving the Nordic Choir tour of 1980 – my sophomore year. But what really got me sailing down memory lane was a treasure trove of photos sent to me from a classmate and fellow choir member, Scott Henry. O my gosh! In picture after picture I found myself looking into the face of wonderful people who I haven’t thought about in decades and it was nothing short of thrilling.
I am not particularly prominent in the vast majority of Scott’s pictures – and actually for that I’m grateful, because as a sophomore in college I’m afraid I was squarely in the midst of what my charitably be described as an “awkward stage” – one which in some respects is still going strong. I was quite the nerd, and I was especially reminded of that when I saw a series of photos showing choir members as they were exiting the White House. As soon as I saw the first of those photos I was immediately reminded that on that tour, I drove everyone around me CRAZY with my own running commentary about what presidents were depicted in various paintings – and an array of other facts and figures which were neither necessary nor requested. . . and as we walked out of there, someone in the choir finally turned to me and all but tore my head off for nearly ruining the tour with my incessant prattling. I remember that feeling – like a kick to the solar plexus – of realizing how completely and utterly tone deaf and clueless I had been in that situation, thinking I was being entertaining and interesting when in fact I had been irritating.
And then there’s the photo at the head of this blog entry, in which you see me in all my pasty, bespectacled nerdiness. But notice too that I have attracted the attention of two young ladies from the choir (who probably should remain nameless, but I know who they are) who seem to be impressed by the sounds I am coaxing out of this grand piano. I may not have been at my best on the beach (I’m pretty sure I spent beach day in Santo Domingo fully clothed) but give me a sanctuary and a grand piano, and I had at least half a chance of stepping out of my quiet little Nerd’s Corner and eliciting a smile from a young lady.
And come to think of it, it was with the piano that I seem to have initially attracted the attention of the wonderful woman to whom I am married. Maybe there’s some truth to that Schroeder & Lucy thing.