every journey begins with a single step exactly 22-and-a-half inches long, left foot first

[bedlamsbard]

EHS marching band starts today.

I'm not marching -- I can't. My band director has let graduates march with the band in the past -- super seniors -- but I'm leaving on Saturday, two weeks before the Rodeo Parade. (That's right, y'all, my high school marches in a rodeo parade. How's that for country?) I didn't know that marching band was starting today until I checked the band website on a whim, wondering when the barbecue was and if I should drop by and say hi to everyone. And I graduated high school three months ago, but I was in the EHS marching band a full year before I was a freshman at EHS; I marched as an eighth grader, a freshman, a sophomore, a junior, and a senior. I marched flute and I marched bari. Except for my senior year, I gave more to the band program at EHS than I've ever given to anything else. I was the very epitome of a band geek, and I loved marching band more than anything else. And knowing that band starts today, I'm on edge, I keep glancing at the clock as if I answer to the beat of that drum again.

I could, if I wanted to, and maybe I will. I should go say hi. But it's not my band any more. It won't be my band ever again. My fight song isn't my fight song any more; my instrument was never mine.

It hurts, a little bit. It's lonely.

I miss it.

Who knew?

Comments

[katakokk.livejournal.com]

Ouch. Marching band. Never done that, but it sounds painful.

[bedlamsbard.livejournal.com]

It wasn't so bad. And I marched a damn big instrument, too.

[swift-tales.livejournal.com]

We don't have marching bands in Belgium, at least not ones connected to schools or anything like that. But I sort of have an idea about marching bands in the American Culture, but even if I didn't, I still say that it's tough having put a lot of time and investment in something and loving it a lot and then having to say goodbye.

[realpestilence.livejournal.com]

I used to play oboe, a long time ago; and dabbled on the piano, a bit. I can't say I was ever fantastic, but I did enjoy it...everyone has that need for a creative outlet. Haven't played in aeons, but I still kind of miss it, so I can imagine how you feel.

When I graduated high school, it was one of the happiest days of my life. Still is! But I cried like a fountain because I knew I'd probably never see most of those people again, and for good or ill, I'd known the majority of them most of my life. Leaving was a huge milestone...the theme song was 'Memories'. Oh, yeah, *that* helped.

Does your college have any musical outlets for you? It would be something, even if it's not quite the same. The *music*, at least, will always belong to you, even if the milieu changes.

[bedlamsbard.livejournal.com]

Oh, yeah, Tulane has a marching band and a concert band and an orchestra and a jazz band. I just can't march because I'm too busy first semester, but I'm going to try and do concert second semester. Probably on flute, but...