AMERICAN FORK — Donald Davis told the teachers at Shelley Elementary not to worry about the noise their students might make as they sit down to write stories.
"The sounds you hear will be the sounds of stories," Davis said after he helped the children realize the pictures they have in their minds are the fodder for their stories, stories only they can tell.
"If you ever had a problem. If you ever caused a problem. If you have ever been a problem. You have pictures and stories to share," Davis said. "Did you ever break something and try to clean it up so nobody would notice? Did you ever do science experiments on your brothers and sisters? Did you every do something you hope your mama never finds out about?"
Davis entertained with stories of painting his baby brother pink and cutting off the long, curly locks his mother loved. He talked about creating a crayon masterpiece on his Aunt Esther's wall and finding out his name was "Donald" after the new baby came and usurped his real name of "Baby Boy."
He took the children along on his adventures and grinned like a child himself as he approached the climax of his stories.
He identified with them and made them laugh.
"My favorite subjects in school were recess, lunchtime, field trips, science experiments and going home in the afternoon," he said.
He entertained but he also educated as he explained that everyone has stories to share.
"My stories have two things in common. They're true and they either happened to me or I was there," he said. "Here's the deal with my stories. I see people's faces looking at me and their faces will say, 'Something like that happened to me or my mama's just like that.' "
Davis and fellow storyteller Carmen Deedy are in the area for the Orem Library Mid-Winter Storytelling Event and visiting a number of elementary schools.
"Watching the story is like having pictures in your head. If a story works, you're watching it," he said.
If you go . . .
What: Storytelling concert (for ages 8 and up )
Where: Mountain View High School, 645 W. Center, Orem
When: 7 p.m. Feb. 10
How much: $8-$10 main floor, $5 balcony
Phone: 229-7436
Web:www.timpfest.org
E-mail: haddoc@desnews.com