May 1st.
I don't know why May 1st is important to certain groups. I seem to remember that USSR does a big May Day parade - showing all their weapons. Why?
Some of you may not know this: some communities celebrate May Day as a festival here in the USA.
Okay, take in consideration that I am 84 yrs old.
When I was in the 4th grade we moved to Crete, Nebraska. Crete is just a few miles from Lincoln. My father worked for Standard Oil of Indiana. He ran a truck for the oil exploration in that part of Nebraska. The wildcatters or whatever they were called, would drill a hole in the ground. He would lower a listening device down the hole. Dynamite would be set off somewhere and he would create a map of where oil might be under the ground. He was a logger - not one who cuts down trees - but he would "log" what they were doing.
Because of this job, after WWII we traveled to several towns in Kansas and finally, Crete. From Kindergarten through the 5th grade, I spent only one year at any school. We found a permanent home when I hit the 6th grade, Levelland, Texas - home of the Lobos (some might spell it Loboes, but they would be wrong - we Lobos know how to spell).
So there we were in Crete Nebraska for the whole year. I can remember a few things clearly about that 4th grade year. Here they are:
1. I was in the Crete H.S. band in the 4th grade. The band room was located on the 2nd floor. I had to climb a fire-type escape to get into the room. I cannot remember any music that we played other than the Concert Bb scale.
Skip over this part if it is too complicated. I played the cornet. it is a Bb cornet. When you play the Concert Bb scale, a cornet player plays the C scale - an alto sax plays the G scale - Trombones, flutes, bells, tubas etc. play the Bb scale...and so forth. In my first day of band - remember that I am only 9 years old - the director told us to play the Concert Bb scale. And I did - I played the Bb scale. That makes me one note off the entire time - ugly. Finally, some big kid sitting next to me explained what I should play. Understand, it is remarkable that a 9 year old can play the C scale - but, I also knew the Bb scale. We move on.
2. In October of that year, my father bundled us all up for a drive to Lincoln. President Truman was running for office. He came in on a train - standing on the platform of the back car - we heard his speech. I actually heard President Truman make a speech. Who else do you know who can say that? 2 more things happened that day: As we walked to the train station, police (secret service) stopped my brother Marshall - he'd of been about 13 or 14 yrs old. They made him take his little brownie box camera back to the car. they were afraid he might kill Truman somehow. So we have no photos of that day. None.
The second thing was that it started to rain as we drove home. It rained so hard that places were flooding. We live at the top of a hill. My father had to pull over and stop. WE walked to the top of that hill in the rain because it was too dangerous for him to drive up the road. Really. We had a 1948 black Hudson. Fine car. I believe people died in that Truman flood.
Another memory: It snows in Nebraska. There were piles of snow everywhere. My parents, in their wisdom bought us shoes that had ridges on the soles. Several years later these were called Waffle Stompers ... where you stomped, it looked like a waffle. At school recess, a big thing to do was to climb up a snow slope and slide down on your feet. The other boys wouldn't let me because my stompers cut ridges in the slope. I was deprived.
In the spring, brother Jim & I walked to a playground and played baseball with the others. I had really never played baseball too much - still haven't - but I had a glove. They put me in the outfield with the other inept players. My lesson learned: someone hit a ground ball straight at me. I put the glove down for the ball to enter. Instead the ball hit the glove and rolled right up my arm and slugged me in the nose - one of first nosebleeds. Since, I learn to use my free hand on the back of the glove to stop the ball. Blood doesn't look good on leather.
FINALLY (you say), In April, the teachers began to take us outside to practice. They had this pole with cloth ribbons handing down. A student took a ribbon and walked in a a circle around the pole. Half of the students went clockwise, the other half went counterclockwise.. As you met a student, you went to the left of the student - then to the right of the next one - to the left of the next - etc. This wound the cloth around the pole in a most pretty way. Around you went until it was completely covered.
And, finally again, May 1st arrive. Everyone turned out. The children dressed in Dutch costumes with wooden shoes. I even had a Dutch costume. As the day went by we partied and did the May Pole event. Never in my life have I seen this done since. Maybe it is just Crete. Maybe it is Nebraska. I don't know.
Now you know why I enjoy May 1st without the USSR parades. The May Pole was a happening. I wonder if it is still done today?
see ya,
Mtz
p.s. I'm not going to proofread this. Anything wrong? Fix it.
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