Your autograph, please...

In my quest for blog ideas in the midst of writer's block, I found one written when I was sorting and downsizing in preparation for RV life. In light of the fact that I just had another birthday, this warrants another glimpse into the past.

Today I uncovered an old treasure. It may have been a Christmas gift because many of the entries were dated in late December. It was full of names from my childhood. Page after page, I recognized the handwriting of so many people who are no longer part of my life. It was a reminder of a time when every kid had an autograph book, along with a repertoire of rhymes to use when writing in their friends’ books.

Wikipedia describes the autograph book as “a book in which one collects the autographs of others. Traditionally, these books would include small pieces of verse, personal messages, poems and drawings from one’s friends. Yearbooks, friendship books, and guest books are modern derivations.”

The fun started on the cover:

      “You have room for your friends, you have room for your lover,

        But poor little me has to write on the cover.”

The pages were of various pastel colours, and one writer had sought out a blue page. She wrote, “May you never be the color of this page.”

Some of the entries were cute and catchy:

      “Snow on the mountain, sun can’t melt it.

      I like you, I can’t help it.”

      “I wish I were a bunny with a little tail of fluff,

      I’d hop up on your dresser and be your powder puff.”

      “Piggy, piggy, up a tree,

      Pull its tail and think of me.”

Other writers used the opportunity to give advice:

      “In your golden chain of memories, please consider me a link.”

      “When the golden sun is setting in the west

      And this earth you no longer trod,

      May your name in gold be written

      In the autograph of God.”

      “Help a friend in trouble but remember all the while

      What you do counts double if you do it with a smile.”

An entry by my grandmother, written in her immaculate handwriting, caught my attention:

      “Labour for learning before you grow old,

      For learning is better than silver or gold,

      For silver and gold will vanish away,

      But a true education will never decay.”

Then there were the P.S. entries written below the person’s name:

      “Yours ’til I.D.K.”

      “Yours ’til the ocean wears rubber pants to keep its bottom dry.”

      “Yours ’til Great Bear Lake has cubs.”

Even the back cover was not left out. “By hook or by crook I’ll be last in your book,” was followed by, “By ham or by bacon you’re badly mistaken.”

There was no deep meaning to most of the content, no elaborate graphics to enhance the page. Certainly none of the writers thought the book would be kept for so long.

For a few minutes, I revelled in memories of friends and family and their trivial entries in a young child’s autograph book.