Month: January 2009

Today I found myself singing “Black and White” ― you know, the song that goes…

The ink is black, the page is white
Together we learn to read and write
A child is black, a child is white
The whole world looks upon the sight, a beautiful sight

I know a lot of ’60s protest songs thanks to Mrs. Trefler (first name unknown), my grade six music teacher. It all makes sense now that I’ve done the math. Mrs. Trefler was probably about 30 or so and this was the late 70s. The ’60s protest songs were the music of her youth and we could not very well sing “I Love the Nightlife (Disco ‘Round)” ― the music of the minute ― in class. Folk music, if anything, is simple enough for a bunch tweens to sing together after lunch and before gym.

Mrs. Trefler ― where ever she is ― is probably retired by now. But there are probably a bunch of us from George Webster Public School who know more Three Dog Night, Joan Baez, Bob Dylan and Buffy Sainte-Marie than your average Gen Xer. Plus we all share the knowledge that there’s a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance…

Turn, turn, turn, people…to everything there is a season.

I woke up very suddenly on Friday to the sound of the fire alarm. I leaped out of bed to see what was going on.

Not much. The woman on the intercom just demanded that we not use the elevators and to wait for further instructions. Mind you, I did not catch this message over the shrieking alarm until after I managed to get one hearing aid in. I cupped my now one good ear to the speaker and managed to figure it out.

So I went about my morning business until we got the all-clear.

My leg felt a little weird when I was walking to the subway but I shrugged it off ― I’m tough that way.

But as the day progressed my upper leg (I guess my hip) started to really hurt. And it got worse as the day went on. If I sat at my desk too long my leg would stiffen up. I walked around my office more than usual that day.

And it is not getting any better.

The thing is I did not hurt myself getting out of bed. I have no idea why I feel like I have pulled every muscle in my hip region.

I think I will have to hold off on any skating for the next little while ― I can barely put on my socks without wincing.