Kids can be outright cruel especially to those considered to be weird or an outsider in anyway
In Elementary School I was an easy target for those kids.For one I had thick lips There was a memorable incident where my mom had a hard time leaving a parking space as kids on their bikes surrounded her car calling me “Big Lips”
I was a terrible athlete,once having to be escorted home by the gym teacher as kids were going to beat me up for striking out in a big baseball game. I was always the last kid picked in any pickup game with kids begging for any way of avoiding choosing me and when I had to be chosen I was welcomed to the team with groans
I often brought books to read at recess instead of playing Army with the other boys.
My young ambition didnt help my case with others my age either. After the events of November 22,1963 I decided that when I grew up I wanted to be President of the United States. Proclaiming my ambition in a class where most kids hoped to be firefighters teachers or professional athletes set me apart from other classmates and it set me up for another layer of ridicule.
“You cant be President” “Being President is a job for white people” was the general response at my predominatly black elementary school when the subject of what one wants to be when one grows up came up.
I wasnt very good in art class either. (Yes, there was a time when art was a part of a public school curriculum.) My drawings were crude and my projects made from clay were mediocre at best. That said I enjoyed when the assignment was given to make a drawing of my favorite TV show.
The person who allowed me to cope with what I endured in Elementary School was my mother and her confidence in me. Over and over I’d hear from her “You can accomplish anything you want to if you put your mind to it” Not only did my mom instill confidence in me but her trust also created a sense of defiance. In my mind I thought “Who are these kids who think I cant be President? I’m going to prove them wrong!”
Most kids drew pictures of such shows as “My Favorite Martian” or various cartoons. I had two favorite shows at that time, one was Mr. Ed the talking horse. I could be counted upon to be in front of the TV on Sunday nights to watch Mr Ed’s latest antics. I even had a Mr Ed talking puppet. The other favorite was the CBS Evening News with Walter Cronkite. I was glued to Cronkite’s reports of the Kennedy Assassination and I became a daily viewer of the news afterwards. If I was to become President it was going to be important for me to be on top of world and national events.
I probably could have avoided further ridicule if I had drawn a picture of Mr. Ed. After all there were others in the class who liked Mr Ed. I didnt and drew a picture of the CBS Evening News set instead.
Of course at the top of the picture was the lettering: CBS EVENING NEWS WITH WALTER CRONKITE. That was probably the best part of the picture. The desk was crudely drawn but I did include the microphones that were on the desk as well as the rotary landline telephones. My Walter Cronkite was drawn as a stick figure but I made sure I drew Cronkite’s mustache. This was an art class assignment I was happy to do. I was proud of this picture and was happy to present it to the class.
Putting it mildly the class did not share the enthusiasm I had for the picture. “Oh no..he watches the news??” “He thinks he’s going to be President?” There were many better pictures drawn but the teacher because of groans and laughter threatening to take control of the class applauded my effort.
I cannot remember what prompted me to send the picture to Walter Cronkite but with help from my mom who obtained for me the mailing address for CBS News I mailed the picture to him. Mom did warn me that Cronkite was a busy man and not to expect a reply from him.
Indeed it seemed like a long time before I heard back but one day in the mail came a rather large envelope and the stationary read CBS News. It was addressed to me! Inside was a letter from Walter Cronkite himself. He thanked me for the picture and told me he shared it with his colleagues. I thought I wonder who he showed it to..Charles Collingwood? Roger Mudd? Eric Sevareid? That wasnt the best part however as also in the envelope was an autographed picture of Walter Cronkite
Hearing from him was one of the happiest moments in my life to date. Walter Cronkite liked the picture I drew of him. I had to bring the letter and the picture to school.
Even kids that had made fun of me were shocked at the result of my picture. Most elementary school kids were not watching watching the news but even young kids knew who Walter Cronkite was. For once the weird kid had his way at school.
And that’s the way it was…
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