Disco duck

As a young high school student, everyone in my class was asked by a teacher what their favorite type of music was.

Seated alphabetically, I was one of the last to respond. At the time, I hadn't listened to radio much, and was rather clueless about musical genres. 'Rock' was a popular answer, and I mulled over my response carefully. When it was my turn, and inspired by a Saturday Night Fever album my sister must've owned, I blurted out: 'disco'.

The classroom erupted in laughter, I turned several shades of red, and wished I could disappear under my desk. 'Disco Duck' quickly became my unofficial nick name. I wasn't really a huge fan of disco, I simply gave an answer I felt comfortable with, based on my limited knowledge of music. I don't mind ABBA or the Bee Gees today; as a matter of fact, I find many 'disco' tunes quite excellent.

I learned that day that a) kids can be cruel, and b) having a different opinion than the popular consensus leaves one open to ridicule. Although I regret the small humiliation I had to endure, I'll always be proud of the fact that I didn't follow the herd with my answer; one aspect of my personality that I respect is the fact that I have strong beliefs, and stick to them irregardless of popular opinion.

I hope my kids pick up on this and find the strength to follow their own convictions and life direction without feeling obliged to think or act like everyone else.