PAWPAW'S MESSAGES TO MY GRANDSONS 52 - How To Manipulate Your Teacher And Become A Star

PAWPAW'S  MESSAGES TO MY GRANDSONS

Pawpaw loves Bryson, Connor and Archer!

The Little Drummer Boy or How To Manipulate Your Teacher And Become A Star

 

   Now that I am an adult who has spent a good portion of my teen and adult life onstage as a musician, singer/songwriter and on a stage of sorts as a minister, perhaps this story reveals that I was destined to be there.

   At the time that I went to elementary school, there was a thing called Show And Tell. Students were invited to bring a special toy or something to school and tell the teacher and other students about it. I was in first grade. One day, I overheard my teacher and another teacher talking between themselves about the upcoming Christmas Holiday Pageant. They were discussing the many things they would need to accomplish it. As soon as they mentioned that they would need a Little Drummer Boy playing a drum while the rest of the class sang the drummer boy song, I formulated a plan. I would be so sneaky that the teachers would never know that they had been manipulated by an adorable first grader.

   Mom and my grandmother took me shopping with them in downtown Canton, Ohio. At the time, downtown Canton was a magical place. As we walked down the sidewalk, we visited retail stores like McCrory’s Five And Dime. We passed by several very fancy movie theaters. We passed by the park between the North and South lanes of the street which was seating in the Summer and a skating rink in the Winter. We always visited the huge public library where I could spend hours browsing the children’s section. 

   I waited for just the right moment. When I thought my Mom and Grandma were ripe for manipulation, I mentioned that I needed a toy drum for school so that I could be in the annual Christmas Pageant. In no time at all, we were entering McCrory’s looking for a toy drum. We found one and Mom and Grandma bought it for me. It was beautiful. It had a long strap attached to each side. When I looped the strap behind my neck, my drum hung right at my waistline. And the drum came with real drum sticks!

   Now all I had to do was wait for Show And Tell. As soon as one was scheduled by my teacher, I brought my new toy drum to school. When the teacher called my name for my turn to Show And Tell, I conjured up my most innocent angel face, put the drum strap around my neck, held a drum stick in each hand and walked to the blackboard at the front of my class.

   I turned to face my teacher and my fellow students and explained most angelically and innocently how my Mom and Grandma had miraculously purchased me the toy drum that I had always dreamed of. My creativity was flowing marvelously.  After my brilliant oration that was probably worthy of an Academy Award or at least a Tony, I began to tap my drum with my drumsticks. Bum. Bum. Bum, bum, bum.  Bum. Bum. Bum, bum, bum.

   My classmates clapped but we always clapped for whomever was Show And Telling. The magical moment happened when my teacher said, “Steven, this is perfect! We just happen to need a Little Drummer Boy for the Annual Christmas Pageant!” And voila! I was the Little Drummer Boy.

   When the event actually happened, I bravely walked out in front of my classmates. I faced the brown, wooden bleachers filled with the expectant faces of parents, grandparents and assorted siblings. And I played “Bum. Bum. Bum, bum, bum.  Bum. Bum. Bum, bum, bum,” on my toy drum as my class sang the Little Drummer Boy song – just as I had planned!