Much as I was not much of an athlete, I was also not much of an actor. But I do remember doing one skit in front of our Junior High assembly … in drag!
Let me set the stage. Slatington Junior High, two of my favorite school years, 1964- 1966. We would have assemblies every two weeks, always on a Thursday. The boys had to wear a jacket and tie on those days. The girls had to wear dresses, but they always had to, every day. Yes, the world was changing into tie dye, madras plaids, and bell bottoms, but not the Junior High kids of Slatington! Each assembly program was assigned to a specific homerooms and they had to come up with an assembly program. The programs were usually talent shows of some sort. Occasionally we would have an outside speaker come in and the homeroom was off the hook.
Our principal was Jay Hagenbuch. He was a small, thin man, with snow white hair who always wore a gray suit and a bow tie. He looked more like he should be a film critic in New York, but he was our principal instead.
It was my seventh grade homeroom’s turn and a few friends and I decided to do a skit for our assembly. The homeroom teacher, Mr. Yehl, approved it and on to the stage we went. We acted out the hit song “Come a Little Bit Closer” by Jay and the Americans. If you don’t remember the song, it is basically the singer getting excited by the flirtations of a beautiful Mexican woman and what happens after.
Yes, I was the beautiful Mexican woman and I made the singer’s mouth water. Haha. But, I belonged to Bad Man Jose! You can only imagine what happens next. If you can’t, you can find the song on Spotify. We were a big hit and I ended my acting career on a high note.
In eighth grade I played air guitar in a band doing “Love Potion #9” by the Searchers. Remember that one? “I closed my eyes, I took a drink. I didn’t know if it was day or night. I started kissing everything in sight. But when I kissed the cop down at 34th and Vine, he broke my little bottle of Love Potion #9.” Good times.
I hope this made you think of your Junior High days, or, ok, Middle School.
A Semi-retired Kind of Life 