Getting to Know Me; What a Gaffe

When my former college contacts me about alumni events in Indianapolis, I rarely respond. I connected with few other students (the only ones I still have minimal contact with are fellow Lit. majors and none live in Indy). I worked three jobs as a student and considered myself too poor even for the dollar movies in the chapel on Friday nights. Lack of time and resources, combined with my social awkwardness, kept me from establishing lasting bonds. But in January, I received an invitation for a Wheaton-in-Indianapolis event I knew I'd enjoy, regardless of my social ineptitude. The gathering included a performance of "The King and I." Since my husband had no desire to attend, I eagerly invited my friend and fellow writer's group member, Stacy, to join me. We had a marvelous time!

Wheaton provided a pre-show talk, given by the granddaughter (a Wheaton alumna) of the author of Anna and the King of Siam, Margaret Landon (another Wheaton alumna). Not only was it informative and fun, they even provided light refreshments (something wholly unexpected). Stacy and I arrived, filled small plates, and selected an empty table. Just as I was telling her about a new writing project I'm working on, a couple joined us at the table (the woman graduated from Wheaton in 1984, three years before me). We enjoyed pleasant conversation, as they talked of their jobs and Stacy spoke of the current play she is writing for Monmouth College (requiring great historical accuracy, while still providing sufficient entertainment value). While "getting to know" each other, I put my foot in my mouth.

There's an adage that says, "Better to be silent and thought a fool, than to open your mouth and prove them right." In my hazy memory of my college days, I remembered the students wanting to put on what I thought was "The King and I" for a fun spoof. I distinctly remembered the copyright issue surrounding their use of "I Could Have Danced All Night"... but I'm a Wheatonite (had to explain that to my sons who couldn't imagine a college forcing students to sign a pledge not to dance). I considered it a delightful story and also wanted to share it with the speaker (not sure when she was at Wheaton). After the show was over, I fully understood the gaffe I had made. That song isn't from "The King and I" but from "My Fair Lady." Oops!

Despite the ignorance I displayed, it was such a fantastic experience. It is always extra fun to attend a play/musical with a playwright (knowing she is assessing props and devices used to convey the various pieces of the story). The music was marvelous and the dancing delightful. The woman who played Tiptin had a powerful and stunning voice. I wanted to give her a standing ovation every time she opened her mouth to sing. The humorous bits were fun: the use throughout the play of the phrase "etc., etc.," the hilarious escapade when the king insists that Anna's head always be lower than his own, and the king's trickery to get Anna to apologize when she had no such intention. Even though it was a much later night than I'm used to having (four hours past my typical bedtime), it was worth the next day's exhaustion. I'm so grateful to Wheaton for offering this unique opportunity and for providing such an enjoyable evening out with my friend.