music camp in Williamsburg where I studied piano and the clarinet, attended ensemble sessions and participated in the schools orchestra. It was a small school with only fifty students, the girls on one side of a dormitory and the boys on the other. It was only a six- week program, but very concentrated. Mommy and Daddy usually visited on the weekends. At the end of the session, we performed a program for our parents, friends and relatives, and many local citizens attended because the school had such a good
reputation.
The school provided for social activities as
well, had a pool, ran movies twice a week and socials
once a week at which students attending the school
took turns providing the music for any dancing. There
was a very comfortable, modern dormitory facility
with two students assigned to each room. For the last
two years, I had the same roommate, a girl a year
older than I was. Her name was Judy Foster and she
was from Richmond. Kentucky. She was a very
serious music student, somewhat on the prudish side. I
always felt that things cooled considerably between us
the moment she fixed her eyes on my mother and
realized I was part African-American. Fortunately,
last year was her last and I would have a new
roommate this year.
"Maybe you can come visit me." I suggested to
Harley. He never had before. "I know it's far and..." "Really? You'd like that?"
"Sure," I said. "But only if you promise you'll
try to do something meaningful with your life and not
drift off like so many boys these days," I said
sounding wise and mature.
"Aye, aye. Miss Oak Tree."
We both laughed and he suggested we go for a
row.
"Ill do all the work," he promised. "You can
just lie back and soak it up."
After we pushed off. I did just that. For a while
neither of us spoke. The late afternoon sun was just