There it was. In the perfect colors no less. I glanced at it, kept going, turned around and then again moved on. I couldn't stop thinking about it. That teal blue T-shirt with great yellow lettering.
I knew as soon as I saw it that I must, absolutely MUST get it and do a photo session of my granddaughter wearing it.
Oh, there were other fun shirts, a black one with KISS (the group) logo and I think one with Bubble Gum, but no, only this shirt would do.
See, my mom was a musician. Not in the way you'd think, but a violinist trained in the classical style. Eventually, children interrupted that career, as this was back in the 30s/40s. By the time I came along in the early 1960s, she was doing other things - like teaching at a private parochial school in the Bay Area. She also had a music studio and taught music. Well there I was in kindergarten and she was creating the greatest kindergarten graduation program. The children and parents loved her programs and she loved the rehearsals and the big "night." But this time, the drama behind the scenes was a story I heard many times growing up. Yes, by now you've figured out it has to do with this song.
She said the directors of the school told her she couldn't teach it to us because it was promoting drugs.
Her reply was I'm sure, one of righteous indignation. Mom loved music, children and teaching. Exposing children to drugs was not in her mindset. They also told her she couldn't teach us Puff the Magic Dragon. Seriously, a bunch of four-year-olds weren't going to sing these songs and go out and get high later. It was just so paranoia-extreme, their reaction to my Mom's choice of popular hit tunes. I can still remember being little and singing along with my mom to both those songs and also Supercalifragilisticexpealidocious!
And I also remember singing to "I'm a little Teapot, short and stout" NOW THAT I BLAME on those paranoid directors of that school! Yes, I'm short and times I battle the stout! going to work out tomorrow!
Anyway, I know my mom would have loved my granddaughter and she definitely would have had a laugh over why I bought this shirt! It just had to be so. Can't wait to print these.
Sometime I'll share a story about the cat and the fiddle.
2 comments:
She's adorable Toni and I can see why that t-shirt grabbed your attention!
love her hair, what a cutie!
I tagged you on my Monday post if you want to play ;)
~Claudia
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