Donkey's years ago

Right, best crack on with answering these questions.

Tiffany asks: What's your favorite Christmas carol?

I'd have to go with "Little Donkey". Which goes...

Little Donkey Little Donkey
On the dusty road
Got to keep on plodding onward
With your precious load

Been a long time little donkey
Through the winter's night
Don't give up now little donkey
Bethlehem's in sight

This carol was designed, I think, to be sung by 6-year-old children. In a ridiculously high register, the kind that starts shrill and then rises so that the last words are only audible by dogs.

The reason why it's a favourite is that it triggers a memory from when I was very small and in Mr's Dashfield's bottom set (they probably call it "year two" or something like that now) at Syderstone VC Primary School.

I was a shy little boy (still am), and my voice wasn't heard among the crowd during Nativity practice, as we sung "Silent Night" to Mrs D's enthusiastic piano playing.

So, probably in an effort to "bring me out of my shell", Mrs Dashfield (great name, great teacher) made me stand out in front next to the piano and sing "Little Donkey" solo.

I was terrified, but I did it as best I could.

It was probably the first time in my life that I had a moment of total self-awareness. I distinctly remember mentally looking down on myself. A little boy in a chunky knit brown jumper with zig-zag motif. Mop of long hair with a low fringe. Shaky hands clutching the carol book. Tremulously singing his little heart out.

Looking down and thinking...

"Fuck I'm cute."

Okay so I didn't think the word "fuck", I was a polite little lad, but that was the gist of the thought.

It's probably not an unusual thing, small children being able to identify their own cuteness level. It's probably a tool that evolved to assist them with Getting Away With Murder.

But it's stuck in my mind. That's the point I was cutest. It was all downhill from then on. :-)