Schuyler V. Johnson

Now that I'm at the middle of my life my nostalgia for my childhood and my magical, innocent memories of another time are becoming increasingly precious to me. They say childhood memories are the strongest and I believe that's true. I have clearer memories from 40-45 years ago than I do of things that happened to me last week. I grew up in Hollywood. My father was an actor and we had a projection room and were able to see movies and Disney animated features as a special treat for our birthdays. When my brother (I have two half brothers, different fathers) was little he went to Walt Disney's house and rode on the railroad train he had set up in his back yard. Disney feaures and characters played an enormous role in my childhood world. I watched the original Mickey Mouse Club as soon as I got home from school, and the Wonderful World of Color on the weekends. My father was shooting a picture at MGM when I was about 7 years old and he came home wearing a mask and hands from the 'Mole People' which was being shot at that same time. I always ran and opened the door for him and I got such a shock when I saw him with that face and those hands I screamed and fell down. (My older brothers were always playing tricks on me too, so I got used to the unexpected). We travelled frequently, usually in relation to my father's work. We went on location in Europe and spent an entire summer accompanying him when he was doing summer stock. I don't think I'd ever seen the color green until I drove around New England! I went to boarding school in Switzerland from 1958-1960. In retrospect the education I received was excellent, but I never got past being homesick. I eventually went to England and had a great tutor who introduced me to Greek mythology, but that idyll was short-lived when I was subsequently installed at the 'American School' where I endured schooling with the the offspring of ambassadors, the most arrogant group of snobs I've ever encountered (to this day). I was thrilled to return to California and my comfortable, albeit sometimes volatile, world. Time continued and my father left us and the glamorous life went away, too. A small group of loyal friends still continued to keep company with us; many more left the sinking ship, posthaste! Our living quarters got smaller and smaller until we moved to Florida, many years later. I counted twenty-five moves and as of this writing we are preparing to move (for the last time) into a house nearby. I love Florida and the people here are so accepting and kind. I am extremely fortunate in my job as a proofreader at a legal research company. Out of all the turmoil and less than satisfactory jobs I am happy to be able to say I not only love my job I am so lucky to have such terrific coworkers and two exceptionally sensitive bosses. I had cancer last year and I would not have made such a quick recovery if it had not been for my friends at work being so supportive. I am grateful every day when I drive to work that I get to read and get paid for it and get to be with such great people. Another important part of my life is Amazon books whose Web site and employees have provided me with hours of delight. I can peruse title after title and find books I never knew about. I feel grateful, too, for finding Amazon and I have my brother Ned to thank for that. He ordered a book for my mother for her birthday and I went to Amazon and fell in love immediately! Books books books! And all my favorite Disney animated features...and toys, etc. So today I feel almost content with my life. I wrote a children's book twenty yeras ago and when I get it published I'll be over the moon with happiness. Who knows...maybe one day it will be available for sale at Amazon...