Dear Mr. Vitalo
I'm sitting here as I write and I'm listening to Barbara Mandrell sing, After All These Years. Yeah a heart breaker for sure, but I could see you listening to it and examining the words and asking questions. "Another day is gone, I turn around and find you're still not here". You would ask, what does that mean Mac? But I know you would know, but you'd want to hear it from me, from anyone , any kids who misses you as I do. I replay it over and over again as I remember that fading picture of you watering your garden when Mr. Korsun took me and two friends to visit you in Long Island. "I still see your face as if it was yesterday" (Barbara Mandrell) and I was just entering the eighth grade, and we both know how that ended. Boy, maybe it's not such a good idea to listen to this stuff, but this was/is good music and I know Mr. Vitalo you'd like it too, if for one thing only; A person can understand the words.
Next song, I Was Country When Country Wasn't Cool, ahh sing it Barbara. My favorite part is when George Jones joins in, walking out on stage from her left side, singing as only ol George can, " Hey! I was country, when country wasn't cool, yeah I was country from my hat down to my boots"! They were the best ever in country music and we talked about that at times, remember?
So there I was walking into P.S. 140, corner of fifty-ninth and fourth ave. This time I met up with Bette Lou my other best friend who now seemed far away since I moved to fifty-sixth street. She lived across the street from the school. It used to be so cool when I lived down the block from school, knowing you were just a few accidental steps away if I went for a walk. You know how that goes. Oh hi Mr. Vitalo, I'd say, I didn't know you were still here, but secretly hoping all the time. Bette Lou would laugh every time and ask, hey Nance, doin' one of those, oh hi things? I'd grin and she'd know. Now here we were together, and I had new clothes on. We always had new clothes for school, Spring and Winter. It was my winter clothes that I couldn't wait to buy, but for now, I'd have to settle on this horrible and humid summer stuff.
I never did good in the summer months unless we were at the beach. Then I was like a dolphin, yup I sure was. It was almost impossible to get me out of the water. September brought temperatures as high as any day in August and my long hair would stick to my neck, my pitts showing perspiration, so I was very careful to wear certain colors in my blouses. With eight kids in the family deodorant wasn't very accessible. So now eighth grade and my home-room teacher, Miss McNulty was anxious for me to arrive. Nothing that day mattered as long as I got to see Mr. Vitalo and I didn't see him as I walked in that day, so I started out moody. I did realize it was the first day, but where was he I thought. Eleven-thirty came and I was back in my home-room class, settled and knowing it was almost time to go home for lunch. Eleven-forty, and the back door opens. I see McNulty smile and some kids turned around. I didn't dare. She had it in for me because of my brother. So I kept sitting, looking and staring ahead, waiting for the lunch bell.
All of a sudden a felt a very firm hand and finger impression on my right shoulder and a squeeze with it, then his voice, so Mac how ya doing this first day? I snapped my head looking up, thought I broke it! I was above Heaven looking into his brown eyes surrounded by his glasses. I knew my face was beet red, and he brought it to the attention of everyone. Kids were laughing out loud, as I was so astounded by not just his hand on my shoulder, but he was talking to me with, our name". He called me Mac! But now he only said hey Mac, I didn't mean to embarrass you, now sit up and get ready for lunch, but first answer me. Wha...huh? He repeated, how is this first day for you? All I could mumble was, uh okay.
Then the bell sounded, lunch and air! We were on the third floor and I ran as fast as I could from school almost knocking over poor Mrs. Wheeler, a very tiny teacher who taught gym of all things, but as tough as Judge Judy. I shouted an apology as I steadied her and kept going. Out the door, outside, air and now I could breathe. No one was around who I could tell. I was a mass of jittery nerves inside, and had to get through the day until I saw Sandy. Three o'clock comes and now the first day is over. I ran home, changed , had to take Jimmy out, so got him dressed and we walked up the block to Sandys'. I rang her bell, and her mom opened the window in their third floor Brownstone apartment, saying Nancy, Sandy is doing her homework. Okay Mrs. W.......... She went on with, she'll be down soon with Judy. Judy, Sandy's little sister and my brother Jimmy didn't allow us much privacy. I'm still holding all this Mr. Vitalo attention in and about to have a breakdown.
I'm outside with Jimmy whining, why can't we go to Mr. Korsuns' house? We will Jimmy, just wait a little, Sandy is coming down with Judy, I told him. He was such a spoiled brat. Then Sandy's old oak wooden door opens from the second floor. Her mom stood there reminding Sandy of rules and stuff. Sandy is polite, looks at me, grins, says hiya Nance. Hiya San, and she starts off tell me about High School, then asks me if i saw Mr. V. I tell her Sandy we have to move away from your house, let's walk to the corner. Jimmy starts whining, and Judy starts with Sandra, mom said...and both Sandy and I say at the same time to our respective little charges, will you shut up for a little while, we're going to the corner, the to visit Mr. Korsun. As we neared the corner, we saw the empty drive-way and a great big stoop to an abandoned building.
In the drive-way I yelled and jumped at the same time, Sandy he came in my class and grabbed my shoulder!!! He called me Mac in front of everyone! Sandy was just as happy for me as I was for me. I gave her all the details as she asked in between all the, but did he say, but did he, but why, but, but, but and more buts. My speech was all messed up, but thank God I got it all out, finally! I thought I'd have to be taken away in an ambulance soon if I didn't get it out. We talked more about school, and the changes Sandy now had to face with High School, an all girls school, poor thing. The little kids waited patiently, so we told them tomorrow we'll ask if we can take them to the donut shop after school, and off we went to see Mr. Korsun. He sat on his stoop smoking, and as we neared, Sandy yelled, hey Mr. Korsun ?, wait til' you hear what happened today.
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