CHS. All those Friday night lights

The morning pep rallies with piñatas & little chocolate footballs & signs.  The Blazer Girls (would I have been a Blazer Girl, I wonder). The afternoon rallies in the gym, with each class yell leader, competing to prove which class was had the most team spirit.

It wasn’t just about football or basketball or baseball or track at CHS (although we were the best in the city).  

I remember how Papa Field of the speech department made me work harder than anyone else, how he had me talk into a tape recorder until all traces of my East Texas accent were gone, how he gave me extra assignments.  

 I had to read Time, Newsweek & US News & World Report.  How I had to give extra speeches.

I thought, I must be the worst speaker in the class.

Then he started making me keep note cards with bits & pieces of what I read about current events.

Why, I thought, does this man hate me?

Then, on a Monday, he called me to his desk after class & told me that I would be representing CHS at the Lydia Stark Speech Tournament in Persuasive Speaking.

I don’t remember what I thought.  That particular year Papa Field & Mama Card decided to take novices to the very prestigious & competitive Lydia Stark Tournament.  Veterans went on the trip, to mentor the novices.

Before we got off the bus, Mama Card told us:  I want you to walk into that room with your heads held how, knowing that each & every one of you is a winner – you are the best.

I doubted that on my part, but relied on my acting abilities to fake confidence.

At every round, at every posting of the standings, Ken Korn (upper classman & a great actor) stood with me, telling me I was great.

When I made the finals, I was amazed.  Ken told me I was brilliant – he sat in on every round (Mama Card & Papa Field were very clever).

I knew I would not win, I could not possibly win.  The judges in the final round were fierce – all newscasters from the local stations.

So I hid.  I was not even in the auditorium when results were announced & trophies were handed out. 

Ken Korn found me.

It’s your event – you have to be there, he said.

I said no, I have let everyone down.

He took my hand & literally pulled me through the door.

They announced third place in Persuasive Speaking.

If I did not get third, I was shit out of luck.

Ken held onto me & kept me there.

I did not get second.  I looked at him, desperate for help.  He held on.

And then they announced my name & Ken hugged me & kissed the top of my head & pushed me down the aisle.

That is the magic of CHS – that we all believed we could be first place.

Most of the time, we were.