April A-Z Blogging Challenge

I haven't been too inspired to write lately, but I'm hoping the A to Z Challenge will get my nostalgic juices flowing again. Obviously I'm behind, having just signed up for the challenge today, and I was going to post four days' worth right now, but I just don't have the energy to do it all at once, so I'll do A and B.

A... Arbor Day...

I'm not going where you might think I am with this, and you may be disappointed considering how ecologically conscious we've become in recent years, but I hope you'll bear with me.

When I was about four or five years old, circa 1975, Bob Wallace, then a feature reporter for WBBM news in Chicago, came to my school to do a story on Arbor Day. Being so young at the time, I don't have much recollection of the event, although I do recall little glimmers of it, and the rest of the "memories" have remained with me through my parents telling the tale. Apparently I was the only student who was willing to speak to Mr. Wallace; the others were fearful at the prospect of speaking into a microphone to a camera. He questioned me all about Arbor Day and there I was, a little toe head in a furry coat, standing with my Canadian crutches, more than glad to share my knowledge. I must have had some good answers, because he asked me how come I was so smart and I said, "Just because I am." My cuteness, charm and quick come back really got to him: I distinctly remember him squatting down next to me to ask his questions and literally toppling over with laughter at that response.

When my mom got me off the bus that night, everyone was excited to tell her I was going to be on the news. She didn't believe it at first, but sure enough, there I was. Too bad we didn't have VCR's back then, that'd be a neat thing to have kept. Bob Wallace is still in the Chicago area and has his own production company. I'm sure he wouldn't remember me and the taped segment probably doesn't exist anymore, but it's interesting to imagine he might remember and it might still be around somewhere.

B... Baryshnikov...

Who remembers the movie White Nights in it's original theatrical release? Who has seen it years later on VHS/DVD? I was one who saw it when it was first available on VHS. I knew who Mikhail Baryshnikov was of course, but I didn't fully appreciate the art and lyricism of ballet back then at age sixteen, although I did enjoy dance in a general sense. I've always wanted to be able to move without restriction at times, free of my limitations, but I don't dwell on it; I am very happy with myself.

I hadn't seen White Nights in probably fifteen to twenty years, and one day recently, there it was, on Antenna TV. Wow!!! Baryshnikov and Gregory Hines blew me away with their amazing abilities and gifts. Since then, I have been looking for everything having to do with Baryshnikov in particular. I cannot put what it is I feel into words; I can only watch in awe. He has even inspired me to investigate dancing for people with disabilities. I've found several programs, but none are in my area. Maybe someday something will come along, but for now I am satisfied that he has touched me so profoundly. What a dancer!!