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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