Taking It on the Lam by Edward Drobinski - HTML preview
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Page 28
Glenn Miller and his Orchestra and “Fools Rush In (Where Angels Fear to Tread)” by John H. Mercer and Rube Bloom; property of the author, the latter under both the “fair use” and “transformative”
doctrines.
Glenn Miller and his Orchestra were playing “Fools Rush In (Where Angels Fear to Tread,) so of the moment and also so of the past. He and his music transcended. Winnie loved the way he never ended a song where you expected he would, to keep on going and going. He was an American big band trombonist. He was the best-selling recording artist from 1939 to 1942, leading one of the best known big bands. Miller's recordings included "In the Mood," "Moonlight Serenade," "Pennsylvania 6-5000," "Chattanooga Choo Choo," "A String of Pearls," "At Last," "I've Got a Gal In Kalamazoo," "American Patrol," "Tuxedo Junction", "Elmer's Tune," "Little Brown Jug," and "Anvil Chorus." In just four years, Miller had sixteen number one records and sixty-nine top ten hits; more than anyone else. I think Winnie has every one of
them in her collection. In 1942, Glenn Miller volunteered to join the US military to entertain troops during World War II, ending up with the US Army Air Forces. On December 15, 1944, while flying to Paris, Miller's aircraft disappeared in bad weather over the English Channel. Winnie was fifteen at the time and when she ended her crying spree, she insisted that he never bit the linoleum; he just was on an important secret mission and needed cover. He was Winnie’s absolute favorite.
Winnie had effectively turned me in innocently. You’re not going to find a Chinese angle in this case. I’m not mad or the least bit vindictive. I know that she didn’t mean to, but she did. At least I think she did, and it was more my fault than it was hers. Winnie’s got a heart as big as all outdoors, is like a cheerleading breath of fresh air primarily directed at the guy she likes best. I’d known her since high school days. The pits of the Great Depression were times which challenged any notion of great expectations, but somehow Winnie always seemed oblivious to the harsh realities. I could picture her saying;
“Prosperity is right around the corner.”
The only thing she disliked was her birth name; Edwina. Even Winifred would have been preferable. When her mother found a problem with her behavior she’d say; “Edwina Lutz! You stop that this instant,” which would always make her brothers and sister
laugh. They’d start repeating; “Ed-ween-a, Ed-ween-a, Ed-ween-a, Ed-ween-a,” when Mom got out of earshot, and it would drive Winnie crazy. She would pick up a stick and chase them. During these times she’d seem as slow and un-coordinated as a newborn Koala bear. She didn’t want to catch up with them. She just wanted them to stop. Outside of that, Winnie was mellow to the point of laid-back.
Taking It on the Lam