What does that mean? Just what it sounds like. Menses. The beginning of the next phase of life. Young girls bud and bleed. Fact of life. We begin to feel different, more moody and lonely sometimes, more angry others. We feel strong but afraid of changes occurring. We find our sexuality budding too! That is the phase. From about 12 to about 17. Junior and High School years.
Onward~
I got fat. Very fat. Well, in my mind I was fat. Looking back at pictures all I got were breasts. I swelled up. That was normal. I got tall. I was next to last on line. Strong too. I began to notice boys smelled nice. Smell is important and suddenly what I once thought was stinky was now very nice. Boys were nicer too. Well some.
My voice blossomed at this time. It got large too. HUGE. I began to notice cracks in it. It became uncontrollable. Deeper and lower. Puberty. Girl’s voices change too. I almost gave up singing. I was having trouble figuring it out. Then along came Mr. Prisco.
Sixth Grade. Getting Skinnier…Auditions for the JHS Chorus. I sang. He loved me. He was a skinny man. Long hair and funny clothes. Blue eyes. I was in love at first sight. I got in of course and my love affair with music was solidified. I had to have HIM as a teacher!
Seventh Grade. I was rail Thin and totally, anorexic still…there was Mr. Prisco. 4th Period, third floor, music class. Put me smack down in the middle of the Alto Section. Told me to shush when I sang too loud. Made me laugh so much. He used to throw chalk at our heads if we were bad, and we were, sometimes just to get the chalk. He took old songs and made them fun. Taught rhythm with a rubber-band. Talked about how the paper clips and the rubber-bands in his desk would always try to make love….
He was weird. He was great. I learned everything with passion! Because I adored him. I used to go into school at 8 AM when he did just to hang out with him in the morning. A huge school girl crush does wonders for study. I memorized everything, became a better and better singer. Got creative in order to get his attention. He nurtured us in a light and easy way and many of us really caught fire and became dedicated. Many of us girls that is. He was cute in a Barry Manilow sort of way and at that time, that was a good thing.
I went on to special training, special placement in the choir, solos and leads in plays, I played Meg in Brigadoon in the 8th Grade and I was a star for a little while. All because of him. Because he inspired me. He knew I loved him. He turned it into a way to motivate me. It worked. I won awards.
Years later I went back to see him and sing for his class. He was older and still wore funny clothes. I sang an Aria from Cavalleria Rusticana for them. I told them where I used to sit and why I sang and told them how wonderful he was. They already knew.
Blessings Mr. Prisco
