ANNIE OAKLEY

I sometimes like to think of myself as Annie Oakley - true I don't have a horse or know how to shoot a gun , but I do have cowgirl boots (and wear them often enough that they're well worn and comfortably broken in).

Maybe it's Annie's sharpshooting skill that intriques me, or her fearless trick riding on the back of a cantering pony; or maybe her showmanship while shooting down six glass balls thrown into the air during one of Buffalo Bill Cody's Wild West shows. As I said I don't have a horse and can't imagine myself ever standing up on one while it galloped around in circles - although once a long time ago - while still a teenager, I did ride on the hood of my friend Diana's 1955 white Ford while she drove down Florence Avenue. I'm not sure what the point was, but it did take balance and nerve; it was a daring fete, sort of a modern day 'trick' riding ( albeit a somewhat foolish one), and I remember smiling big as many cheered when we pulled into the McDonald's parking lot.

Certainly I always admired Annie's free and adventureous spirit, but not that alone. I like she was a loyal and good friend; Sitting Bull and the Sioux among those she called friends. Little Sure Shot, as Sitting Bull named Annie treated both the famous and not so famous, the wealthy and not so wealthy in the same gracious way.

Most assuredly I have intertwined her real life with Hollywood's, "Annie Get Your Gun" musical. Who can't remember Betty Hutton (Annie) and Howard Keel (Frank Butler) trying to outsing each other , "Anything you can do, I can do better. I can do anything better than you". Being a woman I loved how Annie didn't back down and stood her ground. During our courtship and early years of marriage my husband Gary and I played a lot of tennis. We both had a competitive nature and more than once during the middle of a set I'd stop, stare at Gary and in my best Annie Oakley/Betty Hutton imitation would burst into song, "Anything you can do I can do better", and Gary would sing back, " No, you can't". Then me, " Yes, I can". Then him again, "No, you can't". After several vocal volley's back and forth we'd finally resume the match.

The truth is Annie and Frank had a long, loving and lasting relationship until their death in 1926. They died only 20 days apart; first Annie, then Frank.

There's a classic photo of Annie wearing a pleated skirt and long sleeved button down the front shirt; her Western style hat sits atop her head (I have one that looks a lot like it). She is holding the stock of her rifle with her right hand while a part of the barrel rests on her shoulder; confident and unafraid. Another reason I like Annie.