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THE BASKET SOCIAL (GRADES K-2)
THE TWO BIGGEST YEARLY EVENTS AT MOEN SCHOOL WERE THE
HALLOWEEN SOCIAL AND THE CHRISTMAS PROGRAM. WE PREPARED A
PROGRAM OF MUSIC AND SHORT PLAYS FOR EACH. I WAS A PRETTY
GOOD SINGER WITH A STRONG VOICE. IN EIGHTH GRADE I SANG A
SOLO, "SOME ENCHANTED EVENING" FROM THE BROADWAY MUSICAL,
"SOUTH PACIFIC." I HAD MEMORIZED THE WORDS AND PRACTICED
SINGING THE TUNE ON THE WAY TO AND FROM SCHOOL. IT MUST HAVE BEEN A LITTLE STRANGE FOR THE FARMERS ALONG THE ROAD WHO HEARD ME...THIS KID SINGING "SOME ENCHANTED EVENING" AT THE TOP OF HIS LUNGS.
WE SPENT MOST OF OCTOBER PREPARING FOR THE HALLOWEEN SOCIAL.
THE PURPOSE OF THE EVENT WAS TO RAISE MONEY FOR SCHOOL
SUPPLIES LIKE PAPER, CHALK AND COLOR CRAYONS. EACH YEAR WE
WOULD RAFFLE OFF AN INDIAN BLANKET. WE SOLD RAFFLE TICKETS
TO THE FARMERS IN THE AREA. A SMALL PRIZE WENT TO THE KID WHO SOLD THE MOST RAFFLE TICKETS.
AS THE BIG DAY APPROACHED, WE SPENT LESS TIME ON OUR STUDIES AND MORE TIME ON DECORATING THE SCHOOL AND REHEARSING OUR PARTS IN THE PROGRAM. WE PUSHED THE TEACHER'S DESK TO THE SIDE, AND THE FRONT OF THE CLASSROOM BECAME OUR STAGE. WE HUNG A WHITE SHEET ON A WIRE, WHICH WAS STRETCHED ACROSS THE WIDTH OF THE ROOM. THAT WAS OUR STAGE CURTAIN. TWO BIG KIDS WERE ASSIGNED TO PULL THE CURTAIN FOR EACH ACT.
DURING REHEARSAL OUR TEACHER STOOD IN THE BACK AND TOLD US
TO SPEAK "LOUDLY" AND "CLEARLY." THAT WAS NO PROBLEM FOR ME, BECAUSE I HAD THE LOUDEST VOICE IN THE SCHOOL. LITTLE DID I KNOW BACK THEN THAT I WOULD GO ON TO STUDY ACTING AND DIRECTING IN COLLEGE...AND THEN TEACH ACTING AND DIRECT PLAYS WITH HIGH SCHOOL KIDS, PLUS CREATE AND PERFORM MY OWN ASSEMBLY SHOWS. I'VE BEEN DOING ALL THAT FOR 41 YEARS.
SOMETIMES WE CALLED THE HALLOWEEN SOCIAL THE "BASKET SOCIAL." THE GIRLS IN THE UPPER GRADES AND A FEW GIRLS THAT HAD GONE ON TO HIGH SCHOOL WOULD MAKE A BASKET LUNCH. THEY USED A SHOE BOX AND DECORATED IT WITH COLORED PAPER AND IMITATION FLOWERS AND TIED IT UP WITH A BRIGHT RIBBON AND A FANCY BOW. THE LUNCH MIGHT INCLUDE FRIED CHICKEN, SANDWICHES, COOKIES AND CAKES. THIS WAS ANOTHER WAY OF RAISING MONEY FOR OUR SCHOOL SUPPLIES. THE BASKETS WERE AUCTIONED OFF, AND THE MEN DID THE BIDDING. NOW THIS MADE THE GIRLS VERY NERVOUS, BECAUSE THEY WERE HOPING SOME CUTE BOY IN THEIR CLASS WOULD WIN THEIR BASKET AND NOT SOME OLD FARMER.
YOU SEE, THE GIRL HAD TO SHARE THEIR BASKET WITH THE MAN WHO WON IT. AND THAT MIGHT MEAN SITTING NEXT TO SOME OLD GUY THAT SMELLED LIKE BARNYARD ANIMALS AND CHICKEN FEED.
I CAN REMEMBER AMY, A CUTE GIRL IN MY EIGHTH GRADE CLASS, SHE MADE THIS BEAUTIFUL BASKET OUT OF A ROUND HAT BOX. SHE WAS KIND OF SWEET ON ME, SO SHE TOLD ME THE DAY BEFORE WHAT HER BASKET WOULD LOOK LIKE. THAT WAY I WOULD BID ON IT AND WIN IT. SO AFTER THE PROGRAM, ONE OF THE FARMERS STARTED THE AUCTION. I WAS VERY NERVOUS. FINALLY THE AUCTIONEER PICKED UP AMY'S BASKET AND SAID, "WHO'S GONNA START THE BIDDING IN THIS BEAUTIFUL BASKET?" I STUCK MY HAND UP AND SAID, "ONE DOLLAR". THEN I HEARD A GRUFF VOICE FROM THE BACK OF THE ROOM SAY, "I BID TWO DOLLARS." IT WAS OLE STONE, THE UGLIEST, MEANEST FARMER IN THE AREA. SO I FIGURE I'D BETTER WIN AMY'S BASKET OR SHE'S GONNA GO NUTS. SO I SAID, "TWO DOLLARS". THEN OLE STONE SAID, "LET'S MAKE IT FIVE DOLLARS." I FELT THE MONEY IN MY POCKET. I KNEW I HAD EXACTLY THREE DOLLARS AND FIFTY CENTS. I WAS BEAT.
THE AUCTIONEER SAID, "GOING ONCE, GOING TWICE. SOLD! TO MR. OLE STONE." I LOOKED AT AMY. SHE WAS STARING AT ME WITH HER HANDS ON HER HIPS. I HAD LET HER DOWN, BECAUSE I DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH MONEY.
"COME ON UP AND GET YOUR BASKET, OLE," THE AUCTIONEER YELLED. OLE MADE HIS WAY TO THE FRONT OF THE ROOM. HE TOOK THE BASKET AND SAID, "NOW WHERE'S THE SWEET YOUNG GIRL THAT MADE THIS BASKET?" I LOOKED FOR AMY. SHE WAS RUNNING OUT THE DOOR WITH HER MOTHER RUNNING AFTER HER.
OLE STONE FINALLY GAVE UP LOOKING FOR THE GIRL WHOSE BASKET
HE HAD WON. HE SAT DOWN WITH A COUPLE OF OTHER FARMERS AND
SHARED THE SANDWICHES AND CAKES WITH THEM.
A WHILE LATER, A COUPLE OF BUDDIES AND I WENT OUTSIDE. ONE OF THEM WAS FOURTEEN AND HAD DRIVEN HIS DAD'S CAR TO THE SCHOOL THAT NIGHT. IT WASN'T FAR, THEY JUST LIVED DOWN THE ROAD. HIS DAD HAD A RADIO IN HIS CAR, AND SO WE SAT THERE AND LISTENED TO THE FRIDAY NIGHT FIGHTS FROM MADISON SQUARE GARDEN IN NEW YORK CITY. JOE LOUIS WAS FIGHTING SOMEONE AND HE KNOCKED HIM OUT IN THE SECOND ROUND.
I LOOKED OUT THE WINDOW AND NOTICED A WOMAN AND A YOUNG
GIRL SITTING IN THE CAR NEXT TO US. IT WAS DARK, BUT I WAS JUST ABLE TO SEE WHO WAS INSIDE. IT WAS AMY AND HER MOM.
I COULD FAINTLY HEAR AMY CRYING AND HER MOTHER'S CONSOLING
WORDS OVER THE VOICE OF THE RING ANNOUNCER COMING FROM THE
RADIO. "THE WINNER AND STILL HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION OF THE
WORLD, JOE LOUIS."
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