The Boys In The Band

     As most of you readers have figured out, I was in the band in high school  We had a great band, with great directors.  Ron Becton should be in the band directors hall of fame.  Robert Fisher was the Tonto to Mr. Becton's Lone ranger.  The thing that made our band so special was that we were all so close, especially the guys.

My Band

     We weren't like most band guys, most of us were rough around the edges.  Some came from broken homes, some were farm boys, some were just tough.  We were close.  Some of us ended up staying around home, or coming back later.  We went to college, got jobs, had families, but when we see each other, we still feel the brotherhood.
     I followed Gene to college.  He graduated before I did, but we ended up at Berry together.  I haven't seen him in years.   His Mom tells me he is a successful teacher now.  David was my best friend.  He went into computers.  David married a city girl and had two kids, divorced and married her again.  Another city girl followed after the second divorce.  Now after the third divorce he is dating the girl he always wanted back in school.  He finally seems happy.
      Michael drives the bread truck.  I see him all the time delivering bread.  Wesley works at the denim mill.  Excuse me, Wesley is in the fashion industry.  Derek does competitive barbeque. Chris and Butch joined the Army.  Khevin lives in Chattanooga now, and just recently, after all these years, married his high school sweetheart. He reads the blog.
     Whitney went into the Marine Corps, then started working in the restaurant business.  Craig was the youngest person in the group, he came along just as everybody else was getting ready to graduate.  When I graduated everybody said I was the best tuba player ever at that school, Craig made me look like a beginner by the time he was done.  He was better than I could have ever dreamed of being.  He ended up going to Florida State, and is a succesful educator.
     My daughters band director told his band the other day that life was made of moments, and you can't get them back, take advantage of each moment. I would love to have some of those moments back.