Sherri Cornelius

Our school system had a Fall Festival as their yearly fundraiser. I think they must have made a killing, probably way more than they would have made with the catalog sales fundraiser they usually use. Being the first year to try this, it was quite chaotic but everybody seemed to be having a great time. I know my kids did. It didn't take long for the fragrance to hit sinuses (the eyesight is the first to go) but in those situations autopilot always kicks in.

My fragrance fog may be why I had trouble keeping my composure while listening to kids doing karaoke. First up was a middle school boy who chose AC/DC's "Highway to Hell." Now mind you, this was a family event with children of all ages running around, and we're smack in the middle of the Bible Belt. I personally have no problem with the song or my children hearing it, or even singing it, but it seemed a bit inappropriate in the middle of that group, with tiny children lined up for balloon animals and the singer punching that word, "Helllll." Funny, but then it was over and I figured they wouldn't let that happen again.

Then I heard the opening strains of "Family Tradition" by Hank Williams Jr., and I knew I had made a wrong assumption. I was watching the balloon animal guy, but when a sweet little voice sang, "Country music singers have always been a real close family," my head snapped around. The singer was a little girl, I'm guessing nine years old, long hair in a French braid, wearing capris and high top sneakers.

I knew what was coming up in that song. The anticipation nearly did me in, but I looked around at the other parents, and other than a couple of small smirks the faces in the crowd were stone. I controlled myself, just waiting for the chorus, feeling it build, and then finally she sang, "Hank why do you drink? Hank why do you roll smoke?" and I almost lost it! My body shook and tears came out, and I tried really hard to be quiet about it, because I didn't want the girl to see me. There was nothing wrong with her performance. She did a great job singing about the problems associated with being a stoned old country singer.

I think since I was by the wall and I kept my head down, nobody noticed. Well, except for my husband, who didn't think it was as funny as I did. I blame the fragrance fog.