Labeled for Life

As teachers we were told that it was wrong to label students ... but of course we did. There were good kids, trouble makers, athletes, musicians, loners, nerds, etc. Some of the labels were deserved and others were not. The students themselves labeled their peers, although their labels were usually much harsher than how the teachers labeled them.

There are other ways to acquire a label, of course.

For example, if you are ever pictured on the evening news on television you are almost certainly given a label ... "lottery winner," "robbery victim," "Senate candidate," "returning veteran" ... for example. The label may only define a person for that moment, but sometimes the labels are well-deserved.

For example, take a look at this label:

It may be tough to read, but Fox TV in Nashville labeled this photo as "Barbara Belden, Movie Goer."

What a wonderful label! "Movie Goer." Who wouldn't want to be labeled as a "Movie Goer?" It could have read "Retiree with Too Much Times on Her Hands" or "Woman Avoiding Housework" or even "Woman on a Date with her Husband." But Barb will forever be known in Nashville as "Movie Goer."

There is, of course, a story that goes along with the photo. For many years Barb, and Grant, and I went to movies on Christmas. That was one of the few days I didn't work at the newspaper (and actually sometimes I did work on Christmas), so off we would go on a "movie marathon." Sometimes we would see as many as four movies on Christmas.

This year is our first in Nashville. Grant and Lila and I celebrated on the 22nd because they were headed for Illinois and Wisconsin for Christmas. My sisters Rose and Penny were supposed to come to Nashville for Christmas, but Rose fell on the ice and broke her kneecap and couldn't make the 500 mile drive. So ... alone on Christmas Day ... Barb and I headed out to the theater. We decided to spread our "marathon" out over several days (retired people can do that), and planned to see at least six or seven films. We saw "Doubt" on Christmas and when we stepped out of the theater there was a Fox crew interviewing people who went to the movies on Christmas.

The reporter interviewed both of us, but only Barb made the televised segment ... along with someone who was bowling on Christmas (labeled as Bowler) and someone who had found a store open on Christmas (labeled as Shopper). This Barb earned her label as "Movie Goer."

Barb loves her other titles ... Wife, Mother, Retired Teacher ... but I feel she has finally achieved the label she was always meant to achieve: "Barbara Belden, Movie Goer."

I think I'll make her a sash to wear to wear to the movie theaters. Certainly they would let a celebrity like that in free!