“Russell County High School Marching Band, you may take the
field!”
As I sit in the bleachers of the stadium, either shivering from the cold,
sweating from the heat, or being drenched from the falling rain (it never fails….I’ve
never witnessed a competition day that had perfect spectating/marching
weather), straining my eyes to watch the perfected marching style and the
bright, well-coordinated colors of the uniforms, as well as the swift,
clean-cut hand movements of the field commander, I am amazed by the mesmerizing,
perplexed spectacle that the band never fails to give to its viewers. And as
for the sound of the music that they play, all while marching with such
preciseness at the same time, well, I can safely say that it’s just the sweetest
sound that I have ever heard-but, of course, I say that during every year’s
show. And I’m serious when I say that, as each year and show comes and goes,
my sincerity when making that statement never grows dim.
I consider myself to be a pretty big fan of the Mighty Laker
Marching Band, and I try to go to as many competitions as I can throughout the
season-in fact, band competitions are one of the biggest reasons why I consider
fall to be my favorite season of the year. I sincerely enjoy keeping up with
all of the happenings of the band (I want to give a huge thank you to the kind
soul who allowed me entrance to the band’s Facebook group-you’re a peach who
has absolutely no idea how much that meant to me! Thank you so much!), and I
enjoy keeping up with everything that goes on…. even though none of it directly
pertains to me, because, you see, I was never a member of the RCHS Laker
Marching Band, and that is a regret that I will have when looking back on my
high school days for the rest of my life. To say that I have never been in band
wouldn’t be true; I played clarinet in the Russell County Band from 6th
to 8th grade, but I was never any good. In fact, I noticed that,
while it seemed like everyone else in the band sounded like a symphony straight
from heaven above, I sounded like I had a sock stuffed into the bell of my
clarinet. Whereas everyone else sounded like beautiful swans when they played
their instruments, I was the pitiful pigeon of the group. I tried my hardest to
sound good, don’t get me wrong; I just didn’t think that I was ever good enough
to actually play in the marching band. I could hardly play sitting still, much
less marching around; as ‘graceful’ as I am, I would likely trip over my own
two feet and let out the most terrible squawk on my clarinet that had ever been
heard. And I certainly couldn’t have been a member of the color guard-knowing
me, I would get so caught up in what I was trying to do that I would unintentionally
whack 20 people in the head with my flag pole. I thought that I was making the right choice
by ending my band days, but looking back now, I realize that it was one of the
biggest mistakes that I have ever made.
Even though I was never an official member of the marching band, the kids in it now always make me feel so welcome, like I’m ‘just one of the band kids.’ I always look forward to going to all of the concerts and to the trailer after they perform at competitions-I love the atmosphere and vibes that I get from them, and the happy, glad-to-see-you smiles and the warm hugs are always a pretty big plus too. The band seems to treat me as their own, like I’m part of the family even though I’m not, and I absolutely love that.
From being utterly heartless, to making us all be awakened, to giving the forest a song, to sending us all into an illusionary world, to proving that, indeed, nothing gold can stay, the Laker Band never fails to send its spectators into a wild abyss of emotions that we all want-no, we all NEED to experience in our lives. Thanks, y’all, for everything that you do, including making me feel loved, accepted and right at home when I’m with you guys. Now, go win Russell County some big trophies this season.
Love,
Your Second Biggest Fan (next to Missi Turner, of course.)
