Concert of Remembrance

by

Jacquimac

Part 2

A couple of days later I was given a letter by the choirmistress for mum, all I got told was that it very important. Mrs Daniels and Mum were long time friends, they had grown up together and were pretty close.

Our drama coach was working with the wardrobe mistress at theatre to see what they could do about costumes, of course the majority of the costumes would be wartime uniforms and the wardrobe mistress had a few contacts in the film industry.

They were hoping to get everything as authentic as possible with little cost as we didn`t have a lot of money to spend and were hoping to get as much as we could without spending a penny, that would mean everything we took in ticket money would be donated to the two Charities.

We held a second meeting about a week later and found that a full program had been planned, the concert would last three hours being split into two halves for costume and major scenery changes.

The music and songs had been chosen, and there was a slight change to our no adult policy. One adult would give a brief narration about each of the two wars, giving reasons why they were fought and total numbers of deaths for each conflict.

We agreed it was a good idea to put a slight educational slant into the show, especially for the younger element.

At the end of each part of the show we were going to get the remaining Veterans that lived locally on stage and introduce them to the audience if they would agree. I knew that the Veterans took great pride in fighting for their country and thought they should some kind of recognition for their sacrifice, we didn`t expect all the Veterans to agree but hoped a few would.

At the end of show we planned to get the Army Chaplin to say a prayer and end it with the last post by one of Orchestra that could play a bugle. It was also planned that get the most out of it the show would last two weeks so as many people as possible could see it.

Damn that left only six weeks before opening night, but what we kids didn`t know was that the cast had already been picked. costumes had been arranged and only needed fitting, and the music score was ready, but we would find out on friday night and there would be some shocks.

The school was buzzing with excitement on monday morning, we knew the drama club, choir and orchestra were already in the show, but everyone knew that a lot of kids would be needed and volunteers were in abundance.

My dad had been killed in an accident at work a couple of days after I was born and mum had not only brung me up but had worked during the in a cotton mill, gone to night school and managed to get a degree through the Open University.

Dad had had a basic state education and had been to promoted to manager just before his death, he had started at the bottom and had worked his way up by hard work.

I had two older brothers and they were in their last year at school before going to the local College of Further Education to start working towards going to University. They were both 16 yrs old and were huge to me, Mum said they took after Dad and that I took after her.

Dad had really screwed up my life when I was born although I didn`t yet know it, Mum hadn`t told any of the family and some how had managed to work round the little problem as she later called it.

When Dad went to the Registery Office to register my birth he manage to totally screw everything up because he was drunk at the time, Mum due to his death the next day and other pressures didn`t find out till I was due to start school.

I had been registered as Victoria Anne instead of Allan Victor after an uncle, yes dad had managed to get everything arse about face. To make it even worse my birth certificate also had me down as female. Mum did try to get it changed but after almost 4 years was told it wasn`t possible.Dad must have been absolutely plastered that day to screw up so badly.

When I started at primary school the headmistress knew all of us and at school I was Victor on the register. I`d never live it down if everyone knew what was on my birth certificate.

As I grew up my body didn`t want to cooperate and I was by the age of 10 diagnosed with Gynaecomastia and sported breast that the girls were jealous of. We were a pretty close knit community so I wasn`t teased much about having to wear a Bra and wasn`t able to to do gym with the boys in case I got hurt so I ended up playing netball and hockey with the girls.