Shake, Rattle, & Roll

By Dr. Ellen Oakes

An autobiography by psychologist, adventurer, and centenarian Dr. Ellen Oakes.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Park Hudson Press
• Release date: May 24, 2023
• ISBN: 9798215927991

Book preview

Chapter One: Children and Seeds

The plane came to a stop at the end of the runway and I gathered my little box of seeds that I had clasped closely all the way to Maui. After we landed people greeted us warmly, saying they would like see the wonderful seeds. A beautiful private jet with all the amenities had been sent to pick up myself and my daughter Deborah. It was a wonderful, overwhelming feeling to experience such wealth and splendor with the lovely smell of wild orchids from the high mountains of Maui and the nearer smell of bougainvilleas which dazzled me, making me want to breathe deeply and dance with delight. The scent was overwhelming and I can certainly imagine Willie Nelson in the background singing Mammas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Cowboys.

In the cool air of a Maui morning I drew my coat up to protect my throat and the seeds. These precious seeds were germinated by a classroom of students experimenting in growing food that was designed to help people with their health. My daughter Deborah also protected seeds tenderly with her own coat. She was a key part of producing the seeds and accompanied me on all my travels.

While in Hawaii we discovered dance lessons not half a mile from where we were staying. So we got up fairly early and spent the morning dancing the hula! Sometimes the master dance teacher gave a crown to the best dancer. Occasionally they called a really good dancer back to the stage, and I was one of them. I started to sweat after several hours of dancing and longed for a good bath soon as possible, so I moved myself further and further from the front of the stage, waving goodbye until I could make a run for it and go back to the hotel.

Back in my room I laughed and thought I did well until I realized I dropped my purse in the elevator. I ran back and punched the button as fast as I could but the elevator was slow coming back and when it arrived my purse was absolutely empty. My money was gone, I was in a strange place with no way to contact anyone, and had to tell the the bank back home to cut everything off (including myself) until I had the chance to straighten it all out. We continued to stay on credit at the hotel.

We returned to the club and danced and danced until I finally felt quite tired and asked a man who was a friend of Tracy, one of the people who brought us here, what he did for a living. He grinned and told me he was a hitman. I said, You must be kidding. Tracy would never have a hitman for friend and neither would I. He said Oh yes she would. I am her favorite. I was sick at the thought but I heard the ring of truth in his voice. He helped me off the dance floor, where I waited for Tracy at the edge of the room to see if he was telling the truth. Tracy said Why not? I like him. I felt really much worse then, as