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Many years ago there was an hit song called The Wanderer that was always being played on the radio. It was a rather sad song, but the music was catchy, albeit in minor key, and everybody loved it – even kids, despite the somber lyrics. When the teachers at a daycare suggested the children put on a show for the parents, they all decided to sing that song. They practiced for weeks in secret, and then the handmade colorful invitations for a Friday afternoon show went out, sent home in the children’s backpacks.

On performance day the parents arrived after work to find the whole group of four-year-olds standing outside the daycare entrance in the warm spring sun, all wearing black trash bags, with a solemn look on their faces. The teacher pressed play on the CD player and the intro began. Squinting in the sun, the children were overcome by the moment and could barely contain their deep feeling as they sang along out of tune at the top of their thin little voices:

“the wanderer has nowhere to go, when he has reached the EEEEEND

the bell tolls for a lonely soul, it has borrowed its voice from DEEEEEATH

does it wish us ill or well, as it counts out all our FAAAAATES”

When the song ended they all took an expectant deep bow before the parents, most proud of their achievement. There was a barely perceptible pause, and then the applause broke out. The parents put down their briefcases and bags, and clapped for all they were worth. The children ran up to them, saying “what did you think, what did you think, did you like it, what did you REALLY think?!” The applause never wanted to stop. There was not a dry eye to be seen. The show was deemed a great triumph for the daycare, which however failed to achieve such formidable success with future, more cheerful, performances.

1990s