Senior Year – Part 3 – The Senior Choir Operetta, Spring 1966

The Unsinkable Molly Brown was the choice of our choir director and the English department’s drama coach. In previous years, I had played in the ensemble put together to be the pit-orchestra for our musicals. But this year, Guy and I both tried out for parts in the show. The leads were awarded to Angela O. (Molly Brown) and John N. (John Brown).

Guy wasn’t a senior, so he only got a part in the chorus. I got the part of Monsignor Ryan. I had a few lines with the female lead (Angela) and a solo, which I sang to her… if I remember correctly. 

Aside: It’s amazing how popular I got after the operetta. One beautiful girl, Andria, started talking to me in the halls for no apparent reason. And that was strange because she had a boyfriend in the Army and in Vietnam at the time, as I later found out. Also had another near miss, Cherel H., with the same M.O… Impressing young women with your voice and performance is not all it’s cracked up to be… as my later bands and other performing proved over and over… Was it wasted time? Maybe. I did really press my singing and the guitar because I thought it would, as we used to say, get me ‘chicks’… Actually, it did help a little; I met a few that I wouldn’t have otherwise, including my future wife… but again, I digress.

After School and Weekend Work

Worked at Sandy’s Restaurant my senior year; anything to avoid working for Dad. I worked as a ‘fries and grill man’ for most of that time, though I started out working the windows. Sandy’s was a McDonalds knockoff. They paid minimum wage ($1.25/hr). And since I turned 18 in June of ‘65, I was leagally old enough to work till closing, which was midnight and 1:AM Friday and Saturday nights.

To be Continued

–LE