I grew up in the Chicago suburb of Oak Park, Illinois (not Berwyn, as the magazine reported). I loved going to the theater in Chicago. The musicals I saw made such an impression on my early years. I loved South Pacific and My Fair Lady. Adding some culture to my life made growing up in such mundane surroundings so much more exciting.

My parents divorced when I was quite young, and when I was about eight years old, I spent a summer with my grandparents in Arkansas. That was great! Never had to wear shoes, it was warm and sunny all the time, apples and peaches hung from every tree "for the pickin'," and strawberries and blackberries abounded too. Best of all, I could ride the neighbors' horses bareback in their pasture, and another neighbor, Buddy, would let me stand in the back of his pickup truck, arms over the cab and pigtails flying out behind me as we bounced down the dusty orange roads. There were always litters of kittens to play with in the barn, too.

I went on to high school, where I became immersed in drama and theater, as well as competing on the swim team. I also became a disc jockey for the school's radio station, but my career was short-lived. I got into trouble when I began playing music by my favorites -- Woody Guthrie, Josh White and Billie Holiday. I quit after being told to stop playing stuff by "those commies" and stick to hootenanny tunes.

Then I found Playboy. I can clearly remember the first issue I ever saw. I was amazed! Here was a publication in which I could read interviews with people whose books and music I couldn't obtain at my local library or record store, but was able to buy in downtown Chicago. There were interviews with and articles by Richard Pryor, Mort Sahl, Woody Allen, Lena Horne and Lenny Bruce. Playboy allowed me to see that there was a whole world out there. Finally, in Hef, I'd found an editor who stood up for civil and minority rights, women's right to control their own bodies, and free speech in general, and all the while enjoying life! I felt like "I could hang," as we'd say today.