Kathleen, Queen of the Desert

Originally published in LLLI’s LEAVEN, October-November 1999

There were many conference sounds in the Walt Disney World Dolphin Hotel during our 16th LLLI Conference. Many of them were recorded during sessions and presentations; you can purchase them in the form of audiocassettes. However, many other sounds were just recorded in the hearts and minds of the attending Leaders, members, families, and speakers. If I were to design a special tape of sounds of the conference, these are some I might include.

“Welcome to the Walt Disney World Dolphin!” from hotel staff as my co-Leader and I wearily climbed out of the airport shuttle at the hotel entrance.

Handel’s “Hallelujah” chorus pouring out from a boom box during registration.

My clock radio at 6 AM announcing Orlando weather which turned out to be cooler than temperatures back home in Pittsburgh.

Splish! Sploosh! Splish! of refreshing early morning swims in the lap pool.

“Jee! Jee!” from the boat-tailed grackles and “roo-cooo” from the mourning doves flying about the hotel grounds.

“Wubbitubbah! Wubbitubbah!” of the Health Club’s hot tub bubbles.

“Thwap! Thwap!” of sandals on the hotel hallway carpet’s charcoal sketches of beach towels and bathhouse boardwalks.

“My wife Barbara taught me everything I know about breastfeeding!” from Armond Goldman’s talk on immunities in human milk.

“Boom! Pop! Crack!” of the 4th of July fireworks at Epcot that we could see from the hotel.

“Ooooh!” as I recognized the large, colorful prints of Warhol, Avery, and Matisse throughout the hotel.

Cries of babies immediately quieting as little ones were put to the breast.

Aaron Copland’s “Fanfare for the Common Man” signaling the beginning of meal presentations.

“Ka-ching! Ka-ching!” from bookstore cash registers.

“Thwup! Zippp!” of my hotel card key in my room lock.

A French teenager whining to her father (in French, of course) about being hungry and thirsty at Epcot. It’s universal!

“Those sling things are something else!” from an elderly woman sitting near me in the lobby watching LLL mothers carrying their babies.

“Those aren’t GOOD for you!” from a big sister as her little brother reached for the racks of pastries in Tubbi’s Buffeteria.

“I’m unique! I’m one-of-a- kind!” in affirmations guided by speaker Jim Kern.

“I’ve always wanted one of those!” as someone commented on my purchase of a Guatemalan cloth briefcase at the World’s Faire.

Israeli Prime Minister Gold Meier’s children saying, “Oh, good! Mommy’s got a headache! She’s staying home!” quoted by banquet speaker Iris Krasnow in her talk about mothers and careers.

Bobbi Lyon’s vigorous entrance to The Ventures’ “Wipeout!” surf guitar riffs before her talk on mirth and motherhood.

Valerie’s soothing pluckings on her harp named Julie during the Alumnae Association’s rejuvenation sessions.

“Plinkaplinkaplinka!” as we watched a lunchtime downpour from hallway windows.

“Going up!” “Going down!” from the hotel elevator speakers.

“Blue Moon” stylings on the grand piano in the evenings in the man lobby.

“Clippity! Clickity! Clippity!” as Leaders typed session summaries into the computers for on-line conference goers in the Technology Room.

“Bing! Zing!” from the bells rung by Myla and Jon Kabat-Zinn during guided imagery in their mindfulness session.

“Their FEET are big. Their SHOES are big!” from an exasperated mother describing teenage boys in Peggy O’Mara’s session.

“That WAS a good latch-on, wasn’t it!” from a mother recognizing herself and her baby in a ten-year-old slide from Ed Newton’s talk.

“Mmmmmmmm!” as I savored my first bite of Key lime pie at the Coral Café.

“Shrishhhhhh!” from the water cascading over the four dolphins in the main lobby’s fountain.

“Oppai ga Ippai”—(“lots of breastfeeding”)—sung by Japanese Leaders and their children during the lullaby medleys after the banquet . . . and the delight and laughter this song inspired in the audience.

I will always remember these spontaneous auditory sensations of babies, mothers, birds, and water during our time in Florida. Along with the prepared presentations, all these sounds together will make up the score of my 16th LLLI Conference symphony, and they will resonate in my ear and in my heart until we are able to gather together again.