Ray Charles

spring

1974

i was offered a job

to work for this man

his

personal secretary

i interviewed

the offer came the next day

i declined

"no thank you"

why no?
i went home
talked it over with sweetie
it just didn't feel right

even when i typed

took dictation

answered questions

drove from Studio City

to Los Angeles

i wondered

"what in the heck am i doing here"

for starters

we were a one car family

sweetie needed that car more than i

Los Angeles was too far

find work in "the valley"

but,

interviewing for that job...

well, i'll never forget

just a small town girl

from Bountiful

sitting in that big fancy office

gold albums on the walls

not a white person in sight

but me

(favorite Ray Charles song..."You Don't Know Me" sung with Diana Krall)

...