In my status as a widower I was always looking for something to occupy my time, and one day I found such a treasure. A Washington Post notice from the Smithsonian Institute, advertising basic story-telling training struck me that it was something I could do.
To make a long story short, three weeks to the day after answering the ad, I found myself heading to Boone, North Carolina, to the campus of Appalachian State College, for a three-week course in story-telling. I had with me my newly-purchased guitar, along with a learn-to-do-it -yourself book that guaranteed success.
I found myself the only man in the course, with 13 women, all of them either teachers or librarians. It was a wonderful experience for me to listen to an engaging professor who knew her field so well. She made story-telling come alive to us and I figuratively ate it up. She gave me an "A" for the course, which I graciously accepted.
Upon returning home, I knew that as a genuine story-teller, I needed a good guitar teacher. I found one right in McLean, VA. In about a month I was "ready to go," ready to share my talents with the world!
The world, at that moment, happened to be a Montessori School, about a quarter of a mile from my home. Their acceptance of me was the beginning of about four years of happy times with school children, including my grandchildren.
More, later.
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