A Time of Innocence
by Cynthia Markus

xxxxMemories, long ago faces...names...stories...excavated from the recesses of my mind by that amazing evening at the Hotel Sofitel. But my memories, unlike those which so eloquently described the deep philosophical and political ramifications of the era, were those of innocence, naivete and fun.

xxxx1962 - so long ago. I realized it when I went up to the JB library recently and saw a book entitled "The 60's" prominently displayed in the history section. xxxxxI remember...

xxxxMrs. Walker's sewing class where we had to sew and embroider gym bags and aprons. If the 5/8" seam wasn't straight, we had to rip it out and do it again, and again! And then there was cooking. I was a disaster in the class kitchen. Once I flipped a pancake right out of the frying pan and onto the floor. Rather than have the teacher see what I'd done - I ate it!

xxxxGym was the class I truly hated, especially when it was during first period. And of course, I dreaded taking a shower because the towels were so small, I had to choose which part I wanted to cover up! And what would I do if there was a fire drill?

xxxxArt classes were my favorite, and thanks to Miss Eisner, something which I continued with throughout my life. It was so special to see her at the Sofitel Hotel. But I dreaded math and am grateful they invented calculators.. In the seventh grade I built a science project that displayed the many uses of a black gooey substance known as coal tar. I'll bet today it's considered highly toxic!

xxxxI remember the ritual of walking thru JB's halls, saying hi to everyone I knew. At times I swapped lockers with a friend, just to pass certain boys on the way to class.

xxxxNutrition lasted twenty minutes in the morning and I, like many others, loved the garlic bread they sold in the cafeteria. The entire school must have had bad breath!

xxxxAt noon, we congregated on the lunch court, where each clique had its own territory and lunch was a social event. Another chance to look at and flirt with the cute guys and assesswhat was going on.

xxxxJB was famous for its dress code - skirts had to be below the knee and touch the floor when kneeling down...ankle sox only with shoes that tied, three rows of eye-holes preferably five. Lipstick could be worn after the A8 - but absolutely no eye make-up was allowed. Yep, the dress code was strict, really strict. They thought it would teach us how to dress properly when we grew up. Little did they know how much things would change just a few years later.

xxxxSummers were the best. When I was 12, it was the Gardner Street pool where we hung out, basking in the sun. The next year we were more daring - we went to the beach! My friends met at Pico and La Brea and took the bus to Santa Monica, where we positioned ourselves right in front of Uncle John's Hot Dog Stand. Ah - to have that much free time again!

xxxxxRomance eluded me in those days. But I remember the thrill of seeing "West Side Story." Now that was love at its gut-wrenching best! And then there was the time I snuck into the Wiltern Theater, claiming I was sixteen in order to see the racy "Splendor In The Grass."

Everyone liked Fishers' hamburgers at Town & Country. Sure they were good, but I liked to go to Jan's on Beverly Blvd. To me they were the best - thick, juicy and full of all the fixin's. They don't make 'em like that any more. Shopping for clothes meant a day with my mother at Coulters or the May Company. After the usual disagreements as to what was cool and what it was that all the other kids were wearing, we'd go upstairs and have lunch in May Company's tearoom.

xxxxxMy weekends were busy. I took lessons on Saturdays. Tap and jazz at the Roland Dupree School of Dance on La Cienega; ice skating at the Polar Palace (until that fateful day when the rink burned down).

xxxxxI remember slumber parties; the living room filled with giggling girls who never, never went to sleep. I remember the words "turn it down" when I'd play Paul Anka, Leslie Gore and of course, Elvis.

xxxxxI was a good kid but got in trouble once for stepping on the wrong side of a line on the playground! A safety "arrested" me, and I was punished for two weeks - had to stay after school and pick up trash. So for two miserable weeks it was me and a few other "prisoners" and a lot of seagulls scurrying after the mess

xxxxxAfter school we had a ritual - first my friends and I went to Carnation where we feasted. Then we took the bus home. Though I lived a few blocks away, an easy fifteen minute walk, I chose to take three buses (west on Wilshire, north on La Brea, east on Beverly) so I could spend time with my friends.

xxxxSo, as you see, my memories are not socially significant or politically astute. But they are what I remember of a time, so long ago, and it was fun.

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