How to Play "Let's Go Band" in the Middle of the Street - Chapter 1: The Introduction

Do you remember when...?

It's so easy for most people to finish that statement and drift away into Reminisce Cove. You think about all those little [insert plural noun] that would always [insert colorful verb], and how [insert "crazy" person] would just [insert another colorful verb]. I don't think that it matters much if you grew up in a city or small town, there are always instances that form those memories. I'd bet that any person could write a million pages just on their youth and how it helped shaped who they became.

For me, I'm thinking about the first time I met him. I'd seen him in Mrs. Hastedt's class many times. He only sat a few desks away, with his light orange colored plastic clamshell box. Totally different from what the rest of us had: hard cardboard boxes that tore after two weeks. We really didn't talk much that year, or even the next few years after. It wasn't until Mrs. Stevens' class that our friendship would begin.

Mrs. Stevens' is perhaps the most pivotal teacher in my life. I'm sure most everyone has one of those. If you don't, I'm truly sorry. She was able to convey to me so many lessons in life and academia that it would truly cloud your mind with curiosity and drive. Perhaps I also liked her class as I shared it with a number of others, who like me, had similar study habits: smart students who truly disliked and were too good for homework. It seemed as if Sugie, ReShawn, Kris, and I would always not have our homework. And would you know it? Mrs. Stevens always found time to call our parents and let them know of our transgressions.

It was one day early in the school year that Kris and I just were talking about nothing in particular. As our time ran out, we wanted to continue it after school. As I didn't have to be home at any particular time, I decided to walk with Kris to his house. A nice walk, we talked about pretty much everything important to us at that time: bands and music, Band class, girls, candy, and water guns. We made an obligatory pit stop at Winn's and continued onward. What struck me most was arriving at his house: he had a really cool looking Frankenstein monster bust on the porch. Super cool! As we approached, his mother was waiting. She had a bit of a scowl on her face, and after talking briefly with Kris, looked to me and said, "David, I'm sorry, but you're going to have to go home. Kris is still grounded, and he should have told you. Maybe you can come over again some other time." Dejected, I began the long walk back to my house.

Next time: Love for Guns