How I Became a Diva...

I was five when we left Okinawa where my father had been stationed at the Air Force Base. We were re-assigned to the Air Force Base in Lincoln, Nebraska.

I spoke a mixture of English and Japanese and it made sense to me and my parents. Unfortunately, the staff at General Arnold Elementary felt that it was inappropriate upon entering Kindergarten that I didn’t speak English.

They decided I would best be kept in the corner of the classroom until I spoke fluent English. Meaning, I wouldn’t be able to participate in class activities or socialize with the other students. Now to some people this seems like a drastic measure for a child to experience.

Not for me. I was thrilled. I had my own easel board and paints. I had my own nap-pad where I didn’t have to share germs. Plus, I had a corner office! There are adults who would step over each other to have such a space.

I’m an only child and my parents weren’t very sociable. We didn’t participate in any activities such as church or neighborhood gatherings. As a result, I never had much interaction with other kids. So being separated from the rest of my classmates wasn’t as traumatic for me as it would have been for other children.

I have pleasant memories of keeping myself entertained and enjoying my personal space. I did mingle with my classmates. Just not as much as I might have, had I been fully participating in classroom activities. By second semester, I could speak fluent English, but I failed to mention it. I was content with my corner and my own easel board!

I suffered through several teenage girls assigned to babysit me. I remember they always watched TV and didn’t acknowledge my presence. By age 8, my mother gave up on the sitter idea and I basically took care of myself. The original latch-key kid. After school, I would come home and entertain myself with TV shows. I especially liked Perry Mason and I Love Lucy. What a life!

There was a toy store in downtown Lincoln called “Toy Castle.” I made friends with the owners. I ended up calling them Aunt and Uncle. They found me interesting and invited me to their home for overnight visits. Their daughter was by now a teenager, so I guess having a little kid around was fun for them. Not your typical kid thing, but definitely a Diva move!

For many years I didn’t present myself as a Diva because the people I associated with would not have understood where I was coming from. When I worked at Smith College however, my work-study students were quick to point out my Diva qualities. Ah, so nice to be finally recognized. And the rest is history.

Until next time…