It was March 1945. I was stationed in Toronto taking a three-month clerks course given by a dear little Mr. Piper who taught us spelling, typing, how to set up a proper business letter, etc. One night a group of us decided to go down to the C.B.C. Radio Station and take in the live production of "Name That Tune". Most of us had listened to it back home and now we could see the real thing! Being in uniform we had no problem getting tickets.

Several names were called and each person got a chance to name the tune played by the band. I thought they were all really easy. Then towards the end of the program, the M.C. pointed to us and said "Ladies and Gentlemen, tonight we have a lovely group of girls from the Canadian Women's Army Corp. Let's give them a big welcome. Maybe one of them would come up and play the game." Well, the girls had heard me play the piano a couple of times so they figured I should go up. Up I went. The MC asked me my name and where I was from. I said I was Jo from Pincher Creek, Alberta. Then the MC said "I'm sure your folks and all the folk in Pincher Creek will be glued to their radios tonight pulling for you. Here's how it works. The band will play a tune about "eyes". If you can name that tune within 30 seconds you'll win $50.00. Wow! That was more than half months pay!

Good grief! I was surrounded by what felt like 20 different instruments all blowing into my ears and each one seemed to be playing a different tune. I was horror-stricken! Why didn't they just let the piano play the tune? "Five seconds, Jo". My mind was blank. I couldn't think of a single tune with eyes in it, not even "When Irish Eyes Are Smiling"

Suddenly my head exploded. No, it was the gong. "Now Jo" said the MC, "Can you name that tune?" I couldn't breathe. I could only nod my head. I was going to faint and all those wonderful people in Pincher Creek would think I died and would never forgive me for letting them down. This was the end of the world. Finally through the fog came a beautiful voice saying soothingly," That's too bad, Jo, maybe that tune was before your time but you win $5 anyways.

To this day I still have never heard that darn song……… "Brown Eyes, Why Are You Blue?"

Have You?