High School Rah, Rah, Rah

Well, neither of us were cheerleaders, that's for sure!

No. My bro was into theatre. I have so many stories I could tell, but this one first. Senior year he decided he wanted the lead in the biggest play of the year. It was Flowers for Algernon. The stage version of Charlie. (Not that Charly!) He worked very hard on his audition, the day came, and he got the part. He was the best retarded guy around! heh.

His performance won him Actor of the Year that year. His range was well developed and he went from retarded guy to really smart guy, and back again so well, it moved you to tears. Most performances there wasn't a dry eye in the house. It was great seeing him do so well.

In the play there is one line that cracked you in half. Charlie has discovered that Algernon, the mouse in the experiment, can no longer run through his mazes with lightening speed. Something is wrong and Charlie figures out that, he too, will begin to lose all of his abilities that he has gained and will become just the "dishwasher guy" again. It is really sad. One day, as he is experiencing the loss of knowledge he cries, "Please God, don't take it all!" and the audience simultaneously birsts into tears. It was so moving, and heart wrenching to see his rapid decline back to the man he once was.

That is another reason I decided that I had to begin recording these memories. Because like Charlie, I am losing things, memories, clarity and that "seems like yesterday" feeling I have for years. Memories are fading and before they've completely left the building, I need to get them on paper, or bytes or where ever!

His performance, was such a delight. His friends were stoked. He had a simple school boy romance with the lead, and got a taste of the hollywood fickle romances. It came and went and was bittersweet to see it end, yet how they were still such friends. But then again, the brother was not one to make enemies. He had more friends than most and if yo run into one of them today, they all still have fond memories of time with him. He was like a magnet, he drew people in and made them feel apart of him, and the group. It was wonderful.

That's just one high school story, I've got plenty more. Stay tuned.