Now you know how happy I can be
(Sorry, Jew & A will be delayed one day due to the death of Davy Jones)
It is really hard to write happy posts when people keep dying. Stop dying, people I like!
But, a story.
One of the grades I teach is Kindergarten, something I never, ever in my life thought I’d do. Sometimes as I look at them I try and remember what it was like to have the mind of a five-year-old, how everything was new and exciting and mysterious. I remember just three things from Kindergarten and here they are.
1. I remember our daily snack: Tam Tam crackers and orange Juice. The juice had pulp and I hated pulp. But I drank it. Once in a while, we had popcorn from an electric popcorn maker (remember those?).
2. I ran away from school. Yes, really. I slipped away at recess with a friend. This was not the original plan. First off, I was supposed to go with my BFF, Leora, but she chickened out at the last minute. Also, I had this ruse that I conceived: I’d prick my finger on the nearby thorn bush and need to go to the nurse, then I’d slip away from there. I don’t remember why this didn’t happen or how I planned for my friend to join me. Anyway, my new co-conspirator and I managed to get about eight or ten blocks before we got tired and turned back. We met a search party along the way. As an adult, I cannot believe there wasn’t a law suit over this.
3. Speaking of my friend, Leora, I remember the elaborate lies we’d tell each other, trying to top the other. The one I chiefly remember was, “I saw Davy Jones in the park.” “Yeah, well I talked to Davy Jones in the park.” “Oh yeah? Well, I kissed Davy Jones in the park!” I was absolutely sure she was telling the truth and also that she believed me. I try to keep this experience in mind when listening to Kindergarteners tell me about the incredible things that happened to them.
But this is all to say that when I was in pre-school and Kindergarten, reruns of The Monkees played every day and I’d watch them in utter fascination. I felt sorry for my siblings who had to go to real school and miss the show. It was good to be young. Really young.
I am not sure what the happy thought is here. Innocence? Kindergarten? Oh wait, it’s the music. Happy, poppy music.
RIP, Davy. I’ll see you in the big park in the sky. Later, I’ll tell my friends all about it.
Thanks you for this, Becca! My little sister and I LOVED the Monkees show–original run, not reruns as you young’ins saw it. It was the first show that was just “for us”, as young teenagers. Loved Davy and this song. But Peter was our favorite. They look so young and innocent and sweet in this video.
I love your kindergarten stories–you exotic big city people had all the fun! We didn’t have kindergaten back in the sticks.
Peter was my sister’s favorite! She was able to see them in first-run, too. But I loved Davy. There’s a Monkees marathon on this weekend, I’m excited.
I can’t believe they didn’t have Kindergarten by you! I thought it was everywhere. Shows how much I know.
They had kindertgarten in San Diego when my elderly sibs were kids there, but CA has always been progressive in education. Kentucky not so much.
Hearing the statement “do you know who Davy Jones is? Well, he died” from my 17 yr old made me feel older than I have in a while, but then when I really thought about Davy, I felt young again, a little girl watching Monkees reruns every day and listening to my sisters albums, thinking Davy was just the cutest thing and that the show and songs were just so much fun. He stayed pretty cute, even as he aged and I aged and we all aged. Fun pop music is perpetual, as we all are. Thanks for the post Bec. RIP Davy. I’ll try to stay cute for you.