A Utah memory.

A Utah Memory.

It had to be late summer of 19 47. We had rode into town with Dad on
his way to work.. Walked the half mile down to the park. I had taken
the guitar, like I had done a few times before, to have something to
do while waiting for Mom to do her shopping. Mom had got enough
coupons saved up to get school shoes for the boys, so she had Weldon
and Fred with her on this shopping excursion. The girls and I were
left in the park til she returnrd. I took the guitar out and was
playing when a woman with two girls came by. They stopped, and the
littlest girl started dancing. That got Margaret to dancing as well.
Suzanne just sat there and glowered, then moved to another bench away
from us. The woman with the girls took some coins out of her purse
and put them in the guitar case that was laying on the ground by the
bench. Wow! I thought. how anout that. Then I started to play the
fandango Grandma had taught me, and I had spent hours, practicing to
get it right. It is a very lively song, snd Margaret always danced to
it. Then other people tossed money in the case. I am thinking this
is great. Getting money and I didn't ask for it either. Mom came
back and saw the money in the case and had a fit. Said we were not
beggers, and made me put the guitar up. Later when Dad came and
picked us up Mom told Dad what I had done. Dad said maybe we should
let her play there every day, And Mom slugged him in the shoulder.
That ended my panhandeling career