Marching in a band
Today was parade day in town. Not for me. I had seen the forecast and I fully understood the context. Cold wind and cold air for people walking up and down a hill is a really uncomfortable combination. Instead I stayed at home and thought warm thoughts. I had done one of those parades. Many years ago now. I was the drummer in a very small brass band. I had to keep my hands moving so that my fingers would not lose feeling. And all I could think was how fortunate I was to not be playing a tuba. I had done that in other parades. The instrument attracts the cold and funnels it into a mouthpiece that you were then supposed to contact physically. As I say I learned my lesson. I could I suppose find some marching music somewheres and walk around the living room pretending that I was back in the good old band. But I won’t. Part of an earlier time in my life. I wonder if anyone else in that band remembers just how uncomfortable it was. I was asked to get a haircut and I did not want to do that so after the parade was over and we had made our goodbyes to the year I simply resigned my commission. As such, I decided that marching bands were fine for others but I would find something else to do with my life. Things have worked out well. No one has ever come back to say we cannot march without you. To be fair they never said that but when you’re in such a band you imagine that you are a necessary element. In reality only the bass drum can can claim that. I still have some drumsticks around here and I could walk up and down in the basement and pretend. Out of sign out of sight like someone out of his mind. I will not do that either. If you stop by to visit I will simply say seasons greetings and let you merge onto your next step. We all make choices and I have made mine. Instead I will think about things that can be done in the middle of the summer once the snow is all just a memory. Yes we have snow right now. Unsure if it will stay with us through the holiday season but there will be preparations made just in case.
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