Juice!

       &n bsp;  It was 1983(I think!) and my older sister was given a Fisher-Price record player. It was a creamy tan and white color, and was able to play both 33 1/3 records as well as 45’s. While this was common knowledge among record enthusiasts, my young self thought it was very cool! I guess I didn’t know any better.
 
          “It can play big records and little ones!” I thought.

       &nb sp;   For her birthday, she received a Juice Newton record with the song, “Queen of Hearts.” I remember it playing on the little player, the sound coming out of the small speaker on the side of the machine. I would lay down on the floor and put my ear to it. For some reason, it was her favorite song at the time. Little did she know, it was mine too(at nine, I didn’t have any personal favorites yet). 

          ; I would take her record player when she wasn’t home(at Girl Scouts or volleyball practice perhaps), and I would  hide in my room and put on the record, trying to be very careful not to scratch it or make that terrible screeching sound records make when the needle would “hydroplane” across the grooves accidentally. I had to make sure the button was in the correct position for whichever type of record was to be played (in this case, a 33 1/3). I would lower the needle into the correct groove, and feel proud of myself when it actually was the right song and would play as it should have. When the song was done, and played two or three times, I would then neatly put the record away in its sleeve. I would close up the player and wrap the cord back up and put it all back in my sister’s room. It was as if it never happened.
          Juice Newton probably has no idea that her music helped a little boy learn how to use a record player. I guess I should say I’m lucky to have had such a lesson.