11-22-13

Fifty years ago today, I was eight years old and in the second grade. I had been suspended from the school cafeteria for two weeks for "Talking back" to a lunchroom worker following a fight with another kid.

So, I returned after lunch to find a classmate  named Rusty telling everyone how the president had been "shot in the head!" 

Most of us thought Rusty was just making  stuff up. 

When we got into the classroom, a very sober Mrs. Behunnen told us what had happened and what a terrible thing it was for our country. She told us the flags would fly half-staff. 

My parents were sad. My grandmother cried. I was annoyed because some of my favorite TV shows were cancelled. I did see part of the funeral on TV. 

However, even at the time, I was old enough and aware enough to know that something had changed for all of us, and not for the better.

It was not until weeks and months had passed that I learned what an understatement that was.