God’s First Pick

from The Good Times Are Killing Me

by Lynda Barry

Edna (a 12 year-old girl):  The hills are alive with the sound of music was the first best movie I ever saw and the first best music I ever heard. All I ever wanted to be in life was the star of that show.  Someone who sang like a record and ran and twirled in the mountains…  Someone so perfect that even the nuns couldn’t understand her.  Someone who said, “Big Deal…!” to the Germans and risked her life to save the sad children she was babysitting and then their gorgeous rich handsome father who thought his whole life was wrecked, is now so happy and so thankful that he forgets all about his dead wife and then falls madly in love with me.

Me..! Beautiful me with the British accent who can sing so beautifully that everybody knows I am God’s first pick… no contest.

Sometimes when I’m trying to fall asleep at night, I remember that song.  I just lie there and stare at the silver spot coming through our bedroom curtains.  My little sister Lucy told me one time that she used to think that street light was in reality, God.  I don’t  see how she can even stand to admit that.  She’s a lot different than me and it’s not just because I’m older.  I could always tell the difference between God and a street light.