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            This all began so sporadically, many seeming coincidences deciding a future I'd never glimpsed before it hit me full blast. Sparkling dusters, sequin rosettes, brilliant red pants, matching ruby shirts, hair dressed with intricate designs, and stage makeup adorning every smiling, laughing member of a pictured chorus that became my family. The photo itself was taken right after our songs at the competition for our Sweet Adeline region. There were 20 of us on stage with me as a redhead in the happy crew. This has become a big part of the future that I hold dear and these people the ones I love.

            I don't think even any of those involved in creating this picture could have comprehended the miles of change they made in my life with a word, laugh, or smile. When I was young, adults would the typical question of, "Now what would you like to be when you grow up?" My five year old self would concentrate really hard to try and decide finally coming up with, "A marine mammal micro-biologist or a singer." A chorus of laughter would usually preceed the announcement of these odd careers. So, I gave up these ideas and chose a different path for a time.  Where some say that childhood dreams can die in the disappointments of time, I say those dreams are imbedded into who we are so deep that they can never truly leave us. Those who are fortunate enough to rediscover these hopes are the heroes which change the world in their own way. This story for me is rediscovering that truth.

            One of the main characters in my tale is a childhood friend, Mellyssa Swan.  The way we met and managed to stick together through everything is still a mystery to me.  However, in fifth grade we did meet and were soon firm partners in crime.  We each mysteriously became quite proficient in forging each others' hand writing for homework assignments and kept on strangely appearing in the same detention room when only one had gotten into trouble originally. Unfortunately after that school year we both moved around and never had enough time to get together.  This set up the stage for one of the major occurrences in my future.

            As each play must have an opening act, so it is that one simple exchange began this particular series of events.  The curtain opens on my disastrous bedroom scene as I am rather unenthusiastically cleaning up papers. Amid this chaos, I had found Mellyssa's lost phone number, which I immediately dialed.  Euphoria's laughter at long lasted friendship renewed again and filled the house as only a teenage girl could make it ring. Amid the giggles and great stories to recall, we got right down to business figuring out how to get our busy lives to converge long enough to see each other. After copiuos failed attempts at this goal Mellyssa offered, "Well, I go to this Young Women in Harmony thing on Tuesdays…" Instantly my hope flared up again. I didn't care what the activity was from ballet to forensics, if Mellyssa was going, I was too. And thus with a simple sentence my journey began.

            I did go to Young Women in Harmony practice and even though I couldn't have known it, I saw a very crucial character in my life story.  This is where I met Mary Liston, the redheaded director of a barbershop chorus. I didn't see the slightest reason to trust her and besides I was only there to talk to Mellyssa anyway. However, I kept going to this singing practice with Mellyssa and our friendship blossomed once more.

            To be honest, I wasn't the most dedicated Bass. I only came whenever Mellyssa could make it, but even then I began to notice how these people were beginning to grow on me. The time came when Mellyssa could no longer make practices because of work, yet I found myself still coming. Young Women in Harmony soon moved to Thursday nights with the chorus. Beyond any reasoning, I cancelled everything else I had scheduled that night and went.

            You can imagine how a chorus of grown women, all experienced singers, intimidated a fourteen year old girl, such as myself. Here I was, already shaking in my boots while the chorus was singing and learning notes, when abruptly Mary stopped our sound. She looked at the Basses and asked, "Jenny…would you please sing those last measures alone for the chorus?" This was instantaneous heart failure on my part. How could she expect me to sing alone on my very first time there? Some power beyond my control initiated my voice, which then rang loud and clear in our small room.  My section leader, Mary Ellen, whooped and exclaimed; "Now we have a Bass!"  From this moment on, everything went so fast I can't believe it hasn't been decades since my first competition.

            If there is one thing to know about Sweet Adeline singers, it is their craze over preparing, working, stressing, and cramming for hours over the entire year for a few glorious minutes on stage.  This phenomenon is what barbershoppers know as competition.  For my region, the date was to be the Ides of May in Oregon.  In all too short a time, I was packing stage make-up, costume, secret sister gifts, and leaving towards one of the best experiences of my young life.  I became very fond of the group I was with.  Not just any where could you have a chorus of women ages twenty five to seventy, and throw a fifteen year old in expecting to all work out.  Yet, they did treat me as any other member and because of this, I am who I am today.

            Now remember those sparkling dusters and sequin rosettes from the beginning?  Well, much too soon and not soon enough, the special day came. We all were energy filled and admittedly nervous to disembark on the year's grand finale.  Stage make-up was applied, costumes donned, and confidence beamed from our eyes.  We had decided to do the best we could, and that was what we did.  The hours sped away, minutes whistled past, and everything was upon us.

            Backstage there was a deep calming indigo light, as we loaded the risers in an equally deep silence.  Excitement scintillated through the air as we calmed our breathing and got prepared.  The announcer rang out, "…from Pocatello, Idaho, under the direction of Mary Liston, the Pocatello Showcase Chorus!"  This was the moment we'd waited for and I knew it was all worth it that moment when calming indigo turned to the brilliant white lights as the curtains flew open and we began the show.  The songs flew by as we performed and the few moments were over as we posed for the picture.

            How is it that a teenage girl finds a music group that is a family she loves and can stick with all her life?  I'd say either a simple invitation from a friend or else a miraculous life altering miracle.  I am now so attached to this chorus; I can't imagine a life without them. The bond of friendship links us so closely that no one will be alone when they need a sister. If friends are the ones that accept you, but make you better than you were before; our chorus isn't just four parts of women singing.  We are a family that even as an adult, I can't imagine not being a part of.