Memories prompt memories

rob’s latest house: a (tiny) memoir reminds me there was a record player. It’s funny I’d forgotten about records existing until recently. and huh, neat stories. And Pooh’s person had a name. Never thought of that.

The record player was and is off limits. Although I snuck a finger at the fabric of the speaker when I was small, but got caught and chided. I was never allowed to touch mom’s record player. It was rarely out from under its bit of spare orange and avocado 70s fabric with ragged edge. Everything in the house was and is covered in remnant fabrics or cut plastic bag with elastic to keep out dust. Silks flowers, picture frames, vases, lamp shades, CD player, dishes, packets of pens, stacks of books. I expect if dad naps too long, one dad he’ll be popped under a plastic.

I had one record Sally Go Round the Sun record my uncle gave mom for me of children’s chants. when I was past the age of them. I remember Charlie Pride and how I wasn’t to move or make sound while it played. Like cakes in the oven, somehow as I understood at the time the music would fall. I wasn’t sure of the mechanism by which I would harm the record. It started flatter than a pancake.

Any bounce she was sure would make the needle bounce.

When it didn’t play, I’d sing “The Snakes Crawl at Night” which my mom found regrettable but unshushable. I liked a song about snakes. Not until high school did I understand the snake was an expression and it was about murder 1.

I got 45s at one point. My Name is Luka. And Karma Chameleon. I went into a record store. I’d never been in there before. I bought them with my own money. My mom disapproved of the expenditure since all money should be for university but she didn’t oppose beyond her first objection.

Was it one trip? My guesstimate was ’85 from the access of the Entertainment Tonight and MuchMusic spots in them but Vega’s song was in ’87 and Boy George’s in ’83. Or did I learn of Boy George’s song only later?