| Last year my son had the opportunity to begin | | | | or jewelry while in uniform, no gloves in cold |
| instrumental music lessons and band at school. He | | | | weather. We practiced every night after school, |
| chose saxophone and seems to be enjoying the | | | | sometimes for two hours. We weren't allowed to |
| experience, most of the time.Last year, when all | | | | read music as we marched; we were to |
| the parents were called to the band-room at | | | | memorize it all. He had us practice elaborate |
| school to learn about the school's instrumental | | | | formations for our half-time shows, we were |
| program, I was eager to go. When I walked into | | | | good. A couple of years I played piccolo in the |
| the room with all the chairs arranged for band | | | | band, I liked that too. The director was a stern |
| practice, the music stands poised in front of the | | | | man. Julie, Karen and I took delight in small acts of |
| chairs, a rush of nostalgia swept over me. It was | | | | defiance, we were never his favorites, but we |
| such a long time since my days of playing flute in | | | | had each other.I played the flute for many years, |
| the band at school. I, like my son, started playing | | | | but I was never a stellar flute player, fair at best. |
| an instrument in the fourth grade. I remember | | | | I was not interested in practicing very much. My |
| the first day of lessons, twelve girls sitting | | | | parents rented my flute from the fourth grade |
| nervously with their flutes. The music teacher | | | | until the end of school. Then my flute was gone, |
| was trying to teach us the embouchure. He told | | | | given back to the school, I haven't played since.As |
| us to make believe we were kissing our | | | | my son practices his saxophone, I wish I were |
| boyfriends; waves of giggles filled the air. By fifth | | | | playing along at his side. My friend Julie, who is |
| grade six of us were left, by sixth grade only | | | | now a band director at a school, told us that the |
| four. Eventually, I was the lone flute player in my | | | | fingerings on a saxophone are similar to a flute. I |
| grade.My mother never missed a band concert, | | | | tried playing my son's sax once; it was very |
| quite a feat for a mother of five children. Band | | | | different to me. I find myself skimming the |
| was when I would spend time with my friends | | | | classified ads, seeing if anyone is selling a flute. I |
| Julie and Karen. They were one grade ahead of | | | | wouldn't dream of buying a new one because I'm |
| me, but sat right next to me in band, they were | | | | not convinced I would actually play it much. I |
| flute players too. We were all in the marching | | | | rarely practiced when I had one.I accompanied |
| band together too. Every high school football | | | | my son to his saxophone lesson tonight. His |
| game that was played at another school, the | | | | instructor had a flute displayed in his studio for |
| marching band had a school bus bring us to the | | | | the first time. I just stared at it from across the |
| game. We would spend the time on the bus | | | | room, then my son asked him to play it. I listened |
| singing cheers for the football team, or any song | | | | to the lyrical, clear tone of the instrument, and |
| at all, a snare drum keeping time for us. At the | | | | once again I was taken back to my youth. I |
| games, one of the cheerleaders became our | | | | believe it is only a matter of time before a flute |
| cheerleader, often directing us when to cheer with | | | | and I find each other, and this time there will be |
| our instruments, it was so much fun.Our band | | | | no letting it go. |
| director took the marching band seriously, no rings | | | | |