Name's Curtis Patriucci, but most everyone I know calls me "Crusher".  I'm sixteen years old, and I live with my family in Buena Park, California ("Home of DisneyLand!!").  I am going into the 10th grade at Buena Park Senior High School when school starts up the day after Labor Day, so I still have a few weeks to kick back and enjoy what's left of my summer vacation.

I have to be very careful, though.  Can't get into the sun too much; if I do, I have to wear protective clothing and slather on the sunscreen.  I also have to wear dark shades that cuts down on the sun's glare and UV rays.  Y'see, I'm an abino.  You will know that immediately when you see me.  I have pale, pale skin, light, ice-blue eyes, and snow-white hair.  Have had to live with this since birth; it's not easy, but I think I manage pretty well with it.

Nobody knows where this albinism came from: the rest of my family is dark, with darker skin, black (or dark brown) hair, and dark eyes.  I'm the only one who got cheated out of skin pigmentism.  I have a lack of it, which is why I am the way I am.  It was just a fluke of nature; nobody can explain it.  My kid brother, Ian, says it best whenever he calls me "Mutant", 'cause that is exactly what I am.  A nutant.

ANYway, I have been playing music ever since I was very small.  Started taking guitar lessons at six, and have been pourin' out riffs ever since.  I also have a good singing voice; no lessons, just natural, God-given talent; I give the Big Guy Upstairs all the credit for giving the gift of music to me.  I don't know what I would do if I didn't have music runnin' through my bloodstream!!

I guess music helps me escape the realities of life.  This is why I focus so intently whenever I play my guitar or sing.  When I'm doing that, I'm in The Zone:  I'm in my own little world.  The harsh cruelity of life can be temporarily forgotten when I stand  behind a microphone, close my eyes, and envision myself standing on some of the biggest stages of the world and doin' my thing for thousands of screaming, adoring fans.

In real life, however, things for aren't that simple.  Besides having to be extra cautious in the sun or doing all I can to protect my delicate skin (I am prone to severe sunburn or illnesses like heat stroke or heat exhaustion; I'm also susceptible to developing skin cancer), I have to cope with things like getting teased by the other kids (the other kids call me Whitey, Ghost Boy, Blindy Boy, and Weirdo), and trying to naviagate a world that is not accepting to people like myself.

That's another thing.  My vision.  My eyes are so bad I am classified as "legally blind".  I have to read larger print or else I can't see what in the heck I'm reading; I would need a magnifying glass, even for normal sized text.  My philosophy is this:  "the bigger the letters, the better it is for me".  That's why some of the kids call me "Blindy Boy".  It' really annoying!!

My parents are all for my musical dreams.  I'm not so sure about Ian because he is jealous that I can play music and he can't.  Well, the feeling is mutual.  I get jealous about his sports; he is a naturally gifted athlete.  He's always winning awards for track, soccer, or baseball.

Maybe one day I will be as well known as Peter Frompton, Greg Allman, or Jon Bon Jovi.  Until then, I and my bandmates will have to be content holding our "concerts" in the garage, so I don't disturb my parents or my brother with our loud, head-bangin' music!  Maybe one day if we play our cards right, you'll be hearing the next #1 song from me, Curtis Patriucci, and my band, "The Trolls"!

*to be continued.*