Reply #139: Day off from school [View All]

[fortyfeetunder]

1st grade. I recall being on one side of the house and seeing my mom looking at TV at the other side of the house when "As the World Turns" was interrupted to announce President Kennedy was assassinated.

The adults did not talk much but at that age I could read and consumed any newspaper my parents brought in the house. In DC at that time, Federal buildings were closed on the day of a President's funeral, and the schools were closed too, so we got to see everything on TV.

I saw the scene on TV where Oswald got shot and I asked my mother what happened, but she wouldn't tell me.

My teacher's husband was in the Coast Guard unit participating at the funeral procession. And the following year, we had a field trip to Arlington Cemetery to see the gravesite. It was still unfinished, but the eternal flame was there.

The funny thing is I was struggling to understand death at that age. I had learned about Jesus' resurrection, and was wondering if anyone was going to open Pres. Kennedy's tomb three days later to see if he was still there.