My Fifteen

I've already experienced my 15 minutes of fame, albeit on a very local level and it was a long time ago.  Back in my youth, I was quite the songbird.  I've always loved to sing and was in a structured singing group of some sort from 4th grade through my senior year of high school.

My high school was noted for our choir whose members usually ran anywhere from 140 to 150.  We were very good and had a demanding choir director who expected nothing less than perfect from us.  At my school you had to take certain steps to enter choir.  Not just anyone was allowed to take this most privileged of all classes.  Freshman were not permitted to try out for choir.  This honor was reserved for sophomores and up and you had to audition.  I was bursting at the chance and couldn't wait for my turn!  Within our choir were two sub-groups; the Girls' Ensemble comprised of 12 girls and the Mixed Ensemble which was a compilation of 20 voices.  When my turn finally came to audition for choir, I not only made it in but also achieved a place in the Girls' Ensemble becoming the first sophomore to do so.  During my junior and senior years I was in choir, Girls' and Mixed Ensemble.

In the early weeks of my first year of choir, I discovered that one senior was chosen to sing a solo at the annual spring concert.  We gave two concerts a year; for Christmas and in the spring.  I was in absolute awe of the young lady who was selected to receive this honor during my first year as a choir member.  I resolved then and there that I would be the one to sing a solo effort at my senior spring concert.  I think this was the first serious goal I ever set out to achieve for myself. 

Fast forward to springtime, senior year and I was the one picked to sing.  What joy!  What rapture!  Initially I wanted to sing Elton John's hit "Your Song" (remember now, this was 1971) but my choir director wasn't too keen on that idea and suggested I choose more of a classical, recognizable piece.  I acquiesced to his wise judgment and when this most special night arrived, I stepped out from the choir to the center of the stage and sang Cole Porter's "Night and Day" with all the soul and passion that a seventeen year-old young lady who was already very much in love could muster.  We wore prom-type, floor-length gowns at our spring concert so there I was in a beautiful flowing powder-blue dress feeling all the world like Somebody Special singing my song of passionate, burning love to my adoring public.  Actually I sang right to my beau in the third row.  I believe I was given an elegant wave and kiss on the hand from my choir director and was presented with a bouquet of roses at the end of my number.  Now I felt like Miss America.  

That night was one of the most supreme evenings of my life and has remained so ever since.