Chapter 3........

Another exciting day with the grandchildren.......soooo much activity from the running and yelling to the little "ow-ees" that happen from time to time. It has been a fun weekend and one that we don't often have the opportunity to enjoy.......we and Dr. Jeni and family all have our own busy schedules which seldom merge successfully!

Chapter 3: A four and one-fourth years of serving in the United States Air Force...........Don't forget the era this has evolved into.......the mid-60's. I was in my 5th year of studying at the University when I began to think about finishing and the VietNam War and my draft status. I had been deferred for the four years for my Bachelor of Mus Education degree, but by this time I was really about to receive my Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance....at the end of year 5. Soooo, around January I checked with my local draft board.....and OMG....they told me they would meet me at the other end of the stage when I walked to get my degree(s). Soooooo........it was time to do some very serious thinking about what to do.....what to do??????????

Checking with the Navy..........they could not take me.....a LONG waiting list for enlistment.....and my time was going to run out before they could take me!!! Soooo, off to the USAF recruiter's office and after some discussion, I was told that they could...and would.....put me at the top of their enlistment list since I would have my college education and degree.....IF.....IF I could leave for Basic Training in mid-April!!!!!!!!!! CRAP.....and what happens to my second Bachelor's degree???? It meant that I had to withdraw from the second semester of the current year......and not finish the Performance Degree. And.......that would mean putting my performance degree on hold for four years.......taking my fingers OFF OF THE KEYBOARD for four long years....would I be able to recover from this? What to do.....what to do??????

I had an appointment with the Dean of Students....and he said that due to the circumstances, I could finish the one class that was only a half semester class and then the other classes could be dropped without Failure.......as I would be past the drop date for not getting an F in all of the classes if I dropped. He completely understood the predicament I was in.....thank God!

Soooo, back to the Chair of the Fine Arts Dept.....and I was quickly given my research thesis topic, my date for the defense of this paper in front of the Dept faculty, and then I would be finished on March 31st.....by birthday!!! WOW.....did those couple of months fly by quickly!!!!!

My forty page typed thesis paper was completed in the nick of time.....and then I experienced a three hour "grilling" as I defended every thing that I had written during that time!!!!! DAMN!!!!! Nothing had ever prepared me for that evening........and it was if I had never met these faculty members, who were by this time friends of mine. I had been teaching as an Undergrad Assistant in the Music Dept so we were all WELL acquainted........and all of a sudden, that evening, I was confronted with stern looks and pointed questions of which I had to explain almost every damn statistic that I had researched/written about in my thesis!!!! It was not pleasant!!!!! However......my thesis was accepted with an A+......and my Professor of Piano, with whom I had studied since the fall of my junior year in high school, had a surprise party for me..... a GREAT celebration/birthday/going-away party that I will never forget!!!

Eugene Haynes......my friend and Piano Professor......was a concert pianist who was an artist-in-residence at the University....the one who I auditioned for as a scared-to-death 16 year old junior in high school seven years before. He was extremely great friends with Isak Dinesen, the Danish writer and storyteller about whom the Oscar winning film "Out of Africa" was about. Sooo, he had her call me from Denmark that evening at his house during the party to congratulate me and to wish me well. WHAT a memorable evening.......

Ahhhhhh.....I am digressing into toooo many specifics, aren't I????? Anyway......to wind up tonight's post......I had two weeks and then on April 13th I went by train to STL for my physical, my immediate swearing in to United States Air Force.....and a quick ride to the STL airport and I was in the air headed to Amarillo, Texas for Basic Training!!! And......The Culture Shock begins..........(to be continued........)

Memories.....memories.........and they all work together to make certain that fo me........

Life IS Great!!!!....and I hope it is for all of you, also!!!!!