Free Judy Garland on Judy Garland by Randy L. Schmidt

the valley. Now that I’m sixteen I’d like gardenias at least. And I’ve always wanted an orchid. But if they ever bring me gifts it’s usually candy—which
they
sit and eat!
    â€œYou’ve no idea how perfectly miserable I’ve been waiting to grow up,” Judy said wistfully. “And now I don’t know
how
long it’ll be before people will recognize the fact that I’m a young woman, and not an adolescent. Everyone calls me ‘Baby’ and ‘Monkey’ and no one takes me very seriously,” she lamented. “While I’m really as serious as can be. I’m practically sixteen, which means that in a couple of years I should be playing romantic leads in grown-up parts.
    â€œI’d like to tell you my ambition in life—that is, if you’ll promise not to laugh—because it isn’t a bit funny,” Judy warned. I promised and she continued. “I want to play my first grown-up leading role opposite Clark Gable. I personally think this is a wonderful idea. Ever since I sang my song to Gable in my first picture our names have been linked together. I think the public would really like to see us together on the screen, don’t you?”
    I assured Judy that it seemed like a good idea—and in tune with my sympathetic understanding—because after all we’re sisters under the skin with my memory of my piano teacher and Judy’s crush on Gable, so Judy revealed to me her truly one
great
ambition in life. She wants to become another Bette Davis!
    â€œI wouldn’t care if I never sang again—if I could just become a great dramatic actress like Bette Davis. I don’t care whether I’m beautiful or not. I want to sway the emotions of millions of people, make them weep and laugh and feel the things I’m feeling on the screen.”
    I interrupted Judy to tell her that really she was doing something like this on the screen in her current pictures—but Judy said that she wanted to be
very
dramatic as a grown-up actress. I’m very serious. I want to study drama. I’ve mentioned this to the studio and they just smile—the powers that be—and chuck me under the chin and say ‘Run along, Judy, you’re just a kid yet. You’ve got plenty of time for serious things.’ They don’t realize that I’m sixteen. They insist that I must wait for years and that you can’t portray experiences you’ve never known. But they don’t know the emotions I’ve already experienced.”
    I could feel with Judy—remembering that piano teacher. But luckily schoolgirl yearnings have a way of vanishing and are soon forgotten—though I’m sure Judy doesn’t think so at present. But she will in just a few more years.
    A bell rang and a call boy said, “First curtain, Miss Garland.” Judy patted a bit of powder on her nose and hurried to the stage. I caught her mother, who accompanied Judy on the tour, coming up the stairs and we dashed down into the audience and stood in the aisle to catch Judy’s numbers.
    â€œJudy’s been telling me that she wants to be a great actress,” I whispered as we waited for Judy to appear.
    â€œYes, and she’s very serious about it,” her mother smiled. “Did she tell you she’s got her heart set on being Clark Gable’s leading lady when she’s eighteen?” I nodded.
    â€œJudy’s just at that age where she’s thrilled with everything,” her mother whispered. “She had a crush on Clark Gable for a long time—but that finally wore off. Then she became very much interested in her accompanist. He’s more like a father to her since her own Daddy passed on. Then her dancing master caught her fancy but that only lasted for a week. She discovered that he was married and had daughters older than herself.
    â€œJudy’s such an impressionable child—she goes about singing and