Great Day

There are good days, and there are great days. Yesterday was the latter. I'll just tell you about it...

I was asked a couple of months ago if I would sing at the Cowboy Hall of Fame. I didn't ask questions, I just said yes. I knew it wouldn't be just me, but out of my choir of 400 women, I thought there would be more than 20 of us. NOPE. I don't know what the selection process was. Out of 400 women, I'm certainly not in the top 20 most talented. Alphabetically, there are more that 20 women ahead of even my Czajkoski. Did they draw names? Couldn't be. I never win stuff. So who knows? God just wanted to surprise me with a really amazing once in a lifetime experience.

I arrived at the time and place I was supposed to. There were a few people at the cash bar, but not very many. Most everyone was in formal attire. My uniform for this group is black dress and jacket, so I noticed that I fit in. I wandered around until I found the banquet hall with 20 other women dressed exactly like me, and was shocked to see that this was no small gathering...there were about 3000 chairs around the white-linen draped tables. There was a formal waitstaff placing salads and desserts on the tables, and lots of Chardonnay and Cabernet. Although I don't drink, it felt very sophisticated and important. So I asked our director what was this? (I'm quite the cracker) and he said that it was the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame induction ceremony, or the Jim Thorpe awards. My eyes glazed over...stars were shooting out my ears, and I thought, every guy I know will be SO jealous!!!!

It was a type of heaven for me. I love sports, and knew that this was an honor like few I'll ever have. I found out that this was a $150 a plate shindig, which is a lot for a cracker. I mean, I'm the cracker. For $150 we didn't get crackers. We got rolls. You don't choose between steak and chicken at these affairs...you get both. Well, anyway, we warmed up our voices and did mic checks, and then were seated at the back (we were guests, not patrons, after all) and then the people watching began.

There were many older men between 6 and 7 feet tall, and as it turned out they were former inductees. I knew the names, but the faces were older than you see in their pictures. Former OSU b-ball coach Eddie Sutton walked in. The Mayor (voted best dressed by GQ or Esquire or something), the Governor, the Lieut. Gov., a state Senator, many sports writers, newscasters, and such filed in. Beautiful people (whom I don't really like, but that's judgemental of me) were everywhere, none of whom were getting awards because beauty is apparently its own reward. Then these old men came, who turned out to be the Frederick, Oklahoma Bombers High School football team of 1956-the first integrated football team in Oklahoma, 10 years before integration was required. They were really enjoying getting together again!

Two inductees were there-B-baller Jim Shipp (what a story!!) and golfer Doug Tewell (a man for whom I have a great deal of respect). The third, Waddy Young, had been shot down in war years ago, but had fam there to accept. I had so much fun watching them, and staring at the people. I sat a few tables over from Jim Thorpe's granddaughter (WOW!) and was in direct eye contact with Bob Barry, Jr. So cool.

We sang about half way through. We sang America, The Beautiful and The Salute to the Armed Forces, and there wasn't a dry eye in the house. We had the best standing ovation ever. We don't often get the opportunity to sing in secular venues in our state, so it was really special to me. Our choir travels all over the world, and then we get an opportunity to serve and to sing in large concert halls. The last concert was in Romania and Hungary. The men have been to Australia where they sang as a group in the Sydney Opera House, and in small groups in tiny areas all over Australia. They have been to Brazil, China, Russia...many places. But I digress.

The whole program was about 4 hours long. It seemed like mere minutes. I got some souvenirs (not the alcohol...) and had the most wonderful dinner, good conversation with sports figures, and not one single photo. If only I had known!!!!! Oh, well. It was a night I will not soon forget.

As I walked out in the parking lot, a familiar voice called out to me. "You ladies sang WONDERFULLY!!!!" I turned in awe. I already knew sho it was...it was the voice of an angel-the voice of Your OOOOKlahoma Sooners, BOB BARRY!!!! And he was talking to ME!!! I turned to him, and yelled back thanks, and he said, "I'm an old Air Force boy, you know!" So I thanked him again, and yelled something stupid because clever travels out of the mouth so much slower. I watched him get into his car, and we smiled, and I walked away.

Wow. What a special night I had. I wish Brian Bosworth and Barry Switzer were there. I guess you can't have everything...but it was close.