J.F.K.

November 22nd, 1963

Approx. 12:00 noon

Sacred Heart Elementary School

Victoria B.C.

I can't remember my teachers' name, so I'll call her Sister Annie.

Annie old Sister will do!

Sister Annie said she has an important announcement. She proceeded

to tell us of the assignation of U.S. President Kennedy amidst gentle

sobs and tears from her and a few others, perhaps because they had

met or were related to him. I was three months shy of turning seven

years old, which was considered the age of reasoning, so it doesn't

seem unreasonable that I was only a little bit upset about the death of

another country's leader. Sister Annie told us, U.S. President Kennedy

is Catholic, and I thought that was kind of neat, but when she said that

we were getting the rest of the day off, I liked him even more. Now on

the way from school to the bus stop, I make a quick stop at the winery

to beg, borrow or borrow without asking for some grapes that quite

often were sour as heck but just being there made me feel good. There

were no grapes to be found. The usual bunch of kids weren't at the bus

stop because they didn't get the afternoon off school. I can't wait to

see them tomorrow because they tease me about going to private

school and I can say to them – too bad for you because we got a half-

day off for being Catholic!

Life Preserved in Word