Trumpet Solo

A few minutes ago I just left a Super Bowl party. It's not that the game was uninteresting, its just that I needed to get back to working on the Sower. The game was pretty typical or at least that's how it seemed to me. I wouldn't really know. I've never really been a sports nut, but I do enjoy hanging out with friends and that's about my only reason to watch a professional football game.

As I was leaving my friends house I heard the calming sounds of a neighbor child practicing their trumpet. The soothing sounds almost made me want to sit down on the cold ground and just listen. I'd actually rather listen to the ameteur trumpet solo next door than watch the aging Bruce Springstein try to be hip during the Super Bowl Half-Time Show. Did you see him pelvic thrust that camera!?!? Weird.

Once I heard it I felt as if I could immediately relate to the little bugle boy (or girl). You see, I played trumpet from 5th-12th grade in elementary and high school. I wasn't one of those crazy obsessive band geeks, but I did enjoy it. I didn't take private lessons from some fancy instructor...I just learned the hard way, by lots of practice. Practicing a trumpet during the Super Bowl just like that neighbor boy was doing sounded exactly like something I would have done when I was younger....forget about football. Eventually I actually got quite good on my trumpet, which surprised me since I never thought I had much talent. My freshman year of high school I even got the first chair trumpet in our high school concert band.

I guess that's when I realized I was better than I thought. But doesn't that seem how it always goes? I don't realize that I'm good at something until someone tells me so. The same thing happened when I realized I was born to be a student. In 7th grade I realized that I was good at school...I got A's and my teacher told me I was a scholar. I guess in elementary school it seems like everybody is pretty much on the same level...or at least that's how it seemed as a student. I'm sure the teachers could identify many notable differences between the front and the back of the pack. In junior high it became clear that you would actually have to apply yourself a little bit to get the grade. Now I love learning (I sound like a total loser) and want to go get another degree when I'm done with this one. Dr. Creed tells me I'm addicted to school.

Okay...sorry about that tangent.

Anywho, that boogie woogie bugle boy I heard tonight made me want to crack out my trumpet the next time I go home. I haven't played since high school so I doubt if I could get a note out, but I'll still have fun.

Carson