In Three Words

I love music. I’m in isolette. I’m hearing Bobby Darin. Mack The Knife. Number one Song. Years later, Beatles. Oldest sister, Beatlemanic. Six in family. Three boys. Three girls. I’m number five. She’s playing 45s. Love me Do. I sing along.

Ed Sullivan show. Brothers want Bonanza. Sisters want Beatles. Vote resolves conflict. Youngest can’t vote. I’m tie breaker. I vote Beatles. Brothers mad. They love cowboys. We watch Beatles. All like Beatles. Next week… no Bonanza. Brothers love Beatles. Happy family.

At municipal pool. Transistor radio. Mr. Tambourine Man. Byrds. Motown. Top 40. Cousin Brucie. Teenage Dreams. We all want.
Comic books. Superman and Superboy. Learn to read. Before Kindergarten. From comic balloons.

I love cartoons. Speed Racer. Marine Boy. Also monster movies. Three years later. Read Horror books. Frankenstein. Dracula. Have favorite writer. H.G. Welles. Better than movies. Love Island of Dr. Moreau. Best.

Receive first communion. Grandfather dies. Join cub scouts. Like the blue. Hate the uniform

One summer. Burn face. Accident with candle. My brother’s fault. Can’t go swimming. Miss day camp. I read instead. Go to library. Join reading program. Read book. Give report. Get star. I have lots. The most stars. Come September. Get a ribbon.

I’m sick lots. Colds, upset stomach. Mucus and vomit. Soup and Jell-O. Toast, ginger ale. Miss school. Love the attention.

Oldest go to college. Sister comes back. She’s pinned. Brother comes back. Hair is long. Wears bellbottoms. Peace symbols. Father freaks. Throws him out. Middle brother rebels. Starts buying records. I learn from him. What’s cool. Parents complain. Turn it down. Turn it off.

Father hates hippies. Hates sons’ hair. Mom in kitchen. Shake N Bake Chicken. Father cuts hair. Gives crew cut. He runs away. Everybody is crying. Arguments always. I keep hiding. Doesn’t help.

Get a pet. Box turtle. Keep in basement. In plastic pool. Filled with dirt. Call him tank. Read turtle books. Dies in winter. Watching super bowl. With dad. My team playing. The Vikings. Cause of Thor. They loose. Go down stairs. Tank is dead. Hated Football since.

Both brothers home. They go outside. Then come in. Don’t hit me. Just make fun. Eyes all red. Smell like cigarettes. But not exactly. Playing Jefferson Airplane. The Doors. They laugh. All the time. No reason. It’s night time. They’re hungry. Heat up pizzas. Dinner didn’t matter. Call it munchies.

I beg mom. Brothers give in. It’s my birthday. They take me. To movie. 2001. A Space Oddessy. I understand it. We become aliens. I tell brothers. Monolith is alarm. On moon. Apes touch it. Get smarter. I explain it. They listen.

Older Sister engaged. Hates white album. Hates Abbey Road. Likes old beatles. Brothers like new. I still sing. Love me do.

School assignment. Draw picture. When grown up. Want to be. I draw a priest. Mom’s happy. It’s tradition. Youngest son. Family bible. Has page. For sacraments. Baptisms, communions, conformations. Holy orders blank. That’s for you. Mom says.

Using wonder bread. Grape juice. Wine glass. Say mass. On picnic table. In back yard. Find brother’s playboy. Under his mattress. I get caught. Looking at pictures. Everyone in trouble. Priests are celibate. Brother explains. What celibate means. My plans change. I’m confused. I keep thinking. About the breasts. Can’t forget pictures. Backyard masses end.

Behind shed. Christine Manna. My age. Next door neighbor. Pull down underwear. Show and tell. Learn the difference. Before any hair. She kissed me. Not then, before. Some other day. She was blonde. She moved away. My first crush. Another time. She hit me. I cried. I was mocked. By other kids. They knew nothing. About love.

Couldn’t wait. To be teenager. Had no idea. Of the disappointment.

I get older. Get later bedtime. One summer. Watch TV. Bobby Darin’s show. Summer replacement. Featured rock stars. Comedy. He was cool. Mack the knife. Sounded so familiar. Now I know why.