Thoughts for May 1. (May one?)

The tradition of celebrating the first day of May appears to have Celtic roots, but it never reached me in the Chicago burbs post-World War II.  My mother used to talk about the things she did as a child on May Day but neither she nor any of my teachers ever attempted to provide me with an opportunity to mark the day by gathering flowers or dancing around a May Pole.  It's a wonder this deficiency didn't produce a significant sense of social disadvantage in me.

On a semi-related note, I recently learned that the distress cry "mayday" has nothing to do with the first of May.  It is a re-spelling of the French m'aider, "help me."

And, as if that were not enough, today is the birthday of Kate Smith (1907-1986).  The first association most people have when they hear her name is probably "God Bless America," but I always remember the time I asked my mother why Kate Smith wore the same black dress all the time.

Kate's first television show, a daytime variety hour, premiered in 1950, and I believe we must have seen it every day, or at least that's what was tuned in while I played and my mother worked around the house.  Otherwise, I would not have been prompted to ask the question.

In reply, my mother explained that heavy people often wore dark colors which made them appear not so big, but she also pointed out that it was probably not the exact same dress, since we couldn't see the color and all dark colors would appear black.  As to my inability to distinguish differences of cut or style -- well, I was only three or four at the time, not to mention that I was blind as a bat (corrective lenses didn't enter my life until 1952).

I wish I knew why I remember that so well six decades later.  But at least it does show that even as a tiny child I had fashion sense enough to understand that variety is essential.