I am a baby-boomer. Born August 5th, 1953.
In the spring of my 6th grade a female classmate asked me if I had ever heard of the Beatles. I said, "No. What's that?" and she enthusiastically informed me this was something I absolutely had to discover for myself.
That day after school I took an old radio I dug up around the house someplace into my bedroom and plugged it in. I dutifully tuned to 1110 on the AM dial as instructed. and I heard. for the very first time - Rock-n-Roll.
My god! It was like someone turned on the lights.
My world of flat vaguely shaded greys peopled with cardboard cut-out figures suddenly turned phat and sassy, vibrant, deep and passionate and a person I never known existed before came into my own awareness that afternoon ... and that person was me.
I guess What I want you to know is that there was this exact turning point - a very moment in time - when I came know I was unique and independent and that I had choices and that those choices weren't to be determined by my parents!
I didn't have to have a butch hair-cut.
I didn't have to wear a starched white shirt.
I didn't have to wear those stupid shoes.
I didn't have to have creased pants.
I didn't have to be quite.
I didn't have to do as I was told.
I don't know if this was a common perception. I think it was though. I believe it happened to the girl; else ... why would she have told me?
Anyway ...
That is the beginning of my life in protest.
and I want to thank that girl who's name is lost to my memory. I want to thank the Beatles, And I wanna thank Rock-n-Roll.
Naturally; My mother, and my father especially,
thought my decision was a bit premature.
This is not about my early and continuing struggle for independance and freedom though. Those are stories for another time and place.
I just wanted you to know how I came about knowing there was and had to be one.
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