My daughter sent me a video I want to share. The title, “Free to Be You and Me,” sounds like a coloring book for a self-esteem presentation. Self esteem presentations make me gag. But I didn’t gag watching this. Mostly I laughed, and when I finished I wanted to dance and did.
Tommy Franklin, the subject of the short film, loves to dance in public spaces. Cynics will call him an attention hound. I call him a really really great dancer who’s spreading joy and kookiness in a world that needs both.
I love his advice to viewers: “If you’re out of your cage, by all means, flap your wings.” If I had a tattoo, that would be it. If you’re out of your cage, by all means, flap your wings!
I relate to this guy in a particular way because when I was in 7th and 8th grade and as odd as odd can be, I used to tap dance on my patrol post in the morning. (Which was, by the way, an entry ramp to the Capital Beltway along a very busy road—no kid would be given this responsibility today.) A classmate’s father later told me that he’d see me on his way to work and it made his day to see me shuffling away on the sidewalk. Yes, I was showing off (albeit in a socially suicidal fashion), but doggone it, I was born to flap my wings.
Here’s the link. Enjoy!
And R.I.P., Mr. Mullholland. That was a beautiful compliment to share, one I’ve held onto all my life. And, er, uh, I take back what I said about self-esteem presentations. The one he gave had me smiling for hours. Years, even.