Taylor VanHeest

GPC Joint Enrollment Student

Fall 2006

Grandma’s Big Break

My grandma has lived a very wild and crazy life. As a result, she has accumulated many amazing and truly bizarre stories. At family gatherings I often find myself intently listening to them, fascinated by some of the things that my grandmother has to say. One specific story that stands out from the rest of the bunch is the time my grandmother was on television. She always said that there is nothing like being on television.

            It was a warm, muggy morning for New York City, much too early for a nine-year-old to be awake. On September 4, 1945, my grandmother and her father were heading into the bustling Big Apple. They took the famous New York Subway into the city. It smelled of cheap cigars and was full of older, dressed-up men and women in suits and dresses who looked like they were on their way to an important meeting. My grandma was dressed up, too; she was wearing a brand-new print dress and black leather shoes. She had her long, brown hair up in a solid, blue ribbon so it wouldn’t get in her eyes.

       Once they arrived at the CBS studio they were quickly greeted by the manager and were rushed off to a little room. He asked where my grandma’s brother was because he was the one who was supposed to be playing the piano for this recital. When the manager found out that he was sick,  he asked if my grandmother could fill in. She, of course, said yes before he could even finish the question. Her father had brought her to the studio for just that purpose.  She had chosen “The Minute Waltz” as her piece, and as she sat down to play, adrenaline was pumping through her veins. Once that red light started to blink and everybody got silent, my grandma was off. She ended up completing the entire song flawlessly in less than a minute.

            As she bounced on down the steps from the stage, she was congratulated by practically everyone in the studio. Her father was so proud of her that he couldn’t stop hugging her. She was as excited as any little girl could possibly be. In addition to the thanks from her father and the studio, she was given a $100 savings bond as well as some free Red Goose Shoes. It was a day that she would never forget.

            My grandmother has told me that there is nothing like being on television and I agree with her. I have learned many things from my grandmother’s stories. She loves to tell me all about her life and I love to listen and learn about it. I don’t think that she will ever run out of stories but that’s okay with me.