***about 1 month later***
Well, it's been about a month since band camp ended. Over that month, I had gotten more accustomed to the marching aspect of marching band, and began to develop an understanding of the work. Yes, it still confused me a bit, and there were times that when walking through band members I'd whack one of them, but I still understood it! Some of the work made more sense now and I could sort of do it while marching. For a new person like me, that was an accomplishment. The new school year had started and now I was in 8th grade officially. And I had to secretly admit it was kind of cool (a/n: cool! Haha!) to be able to say to my friends, "Sorry, I can't talk, I have to go to marching band practice." But anyway, now that I was somewhat accustomed to marching and doing the routine, now came my next challenge . . .
The first performance.
~*~*~*~*~*~
"Christine!" "Mrf." "Christine!" "MRF!" "CHRIS-" "Okay, okay, I'm getting up!" What time was it, anyway? It was Saturday morning and my dad was ~waking me up?~ Whatever for? Why would I, Christine, have to wake up early Saturday morning for? Then a thought entered my dim morning brain . . . ~don't I have marching band practice or something?~ MARCHING BAND PRACTICE!! Oh, crud!
I leaped out of bed, looking at my clock which now read, "8:15." Oh, crud, 8:15 . . . practice started at 9:00! I had completely forgotten about that until now! Today was the first ever performance . . . today was where we got to go perform at a football game. Our. . . first performance!
I quickly got changed and speed-ate breakfast. This was my very first performance. . . my first! There was no way I was going to be late. I checked my uniform, seeing that all parts of it (and there were lots of parts to it, actually) were together and correct. Good. . . they were. I also stuffed some lunch into my bookbag and got ready as quick as I could.
My dad drove me to the school. I got out of the car and went into the school, finding the 'guard corner' (yes, the band gets a band room and we have a 'guard corner.'). Alora was already there, and Nelly was just arriving also. Cara waved to me, and Chrisabel gave a small snore. Evidently she hadn't entirely awakened either. "Can you believe it?" Alora whispered. "Our first performance." I nodded at her. "Everyone up to the practice field!" Said Talie, coming out of the band room. Kat poked Chrisabel. "Wake up, we have to practice." She said. "Mmph." Chrisabel muttered, sitting up reluctantly. "Yeah okay." She said, sighing in a resigned way.
We practiced for two and a half hours before loading the trucks. We all leaned our flags up against the truck and went to change.
We all invaded the bathroom, taking over the stalls and leaving the band members to wait. I took the middle stall, taking out all of my uniform. "Darn, I hate tights." I heard someone (I think it was Kat) say. "Ouch!" Came another voice. "Can someone zip me?" Was another. THUMP! "Hey!" Someone tried to put their tights on but became imbalanced and knocked into someone, making them both fall over.
I couldn't help but grin as I tightened the shiny cumber bun around my waist. So this was what it was like to change with the rest of the guard! I stuffed the last of my practice clothes into my garment bag and came out to see Kat, Talie, and Cara all tangled up on the floor and grinning. I shook my head and left, and as I got on the bus couldn't help but think, ~That's my colorguard.~
Alora plopped next to me, shoving her garment bag next to mine. "Hey." She said. "Did Cara, Talie, and Kat ever get untangled?" I asked, grinning. "Yeah, believe it or not." She replied. "Hey, everyone, I have some stuff for you." Talie said as she got on the bus. "I usually always give everyone something at the first football game, as some of you older members know." Smiling, Talie handed each one of us a little bag of candy with a paper tied onto it that read, "Ponra High School Marching Band 2001-2002 First Football Game". I grinned, gently untying it and promising to save this for later. "Thank you, Talie." We all chorused. Shelley also had stuff for us. She gave us little bags with a cookie in it.
"Wow, they are so nice." Alora whispered. "Doing all this stuff for us." "Yeah." I whispered back, selecting a little hard candy from the bag and eating it. "They are nice." I agreed.
We drove to the game, which was at a really weird stadium. The football field itself was about 10 minutes away from the actual school that it belonged to. "Is it usually like this?" Nelly asked. "No, it's just this field, I think." Kat said reassuringly.
We left the bus and got our flags from the truck upon arrival. I took my two flags (at the time there were only two) and leaned them against the bleachers. We dropped our stuff in the bleachers themselves by where the band was. Me, Nelly, and Alora quickly huddled together. "I am so nervous." Alora said. "Yeah." Nelly agreed. "Oh, don't be!" Cara said, urging us down by our flags and out of our tight group in the bleachers. "It's only a football game, after all." "What do you mean 'only a football game'?" Alora demanded. "It's our first performance!" "Yes, true. But it's not a competition!" And Cara bounced off, leaving us to follow her.
"Competition . . .?" Nelly said, looking at us two. "Dunno what that is." Replied Alora. "It's that thing on the schedule that says 'September 22nd, Competition at Pentano 4 pm.'" I added. "Doesn't tell us anything." Alora muttered as we got our flags and went to join the rest of the guard. We set up in a block, and Mrs. Loren told us to go ahead and do 50 drop spins. I was still not used to this and had to struggle through the last twenty. Then she motioned for us to line up. "Go ahead and line up with the rest of the band." Mrs. Loren said. "And I wish you all the best of luck at your first performance." I smiled at her, trying to disguise my nervousness.
We then lined up. I gave a final check of my skirt and a glance at the field before the drum major called, "Band, atten-hut!" And everyone replied, "Ponra Hut!" The drummers began their opening cadence, we all marked time, and then. . . our first performance was to begin.
"Good luck." Hissed Dani from behind me. "Thanks, you too." I hissed back.
"Now entering the field, the Ponra High School marching band!" The loudspeaker blared, announcing us to the spectators. I felt the Astroturf of the field under my marching boots for the very first time. And I felt that feeling of pride once again. . . and what a grand feeling it was.
I set up my flags and returned to the opening spot. The band was behind a wall, and so were we. As we all stood behind the wall in an orderly fashion, we exchanged final 'good lucks' before the band set up. ~Ready or not, here we go.~ I thought when the music started. And then. . . well, and then the music started. It gave me confidence.I felt as if I could really actually do this.
"One, two, one two three four!" The drum major said. The first drum beat struck, and from then on, it was entirely up to us!
~******~
Buh dadum.bumbadum! The final drum rang out through the entire field as the flag I tossed sailed in the wind before returning to my hands. We had done it! We had truly done the show! The crowd cheered and applauded, even all the the-lights-are-on-but-nobody's-home football players (sorry to all you football fans here) clapped. That sense of pride I felt briefly at the preview show during band camp returned, and I truly felt part of the marching band at this point. I couldn't keep the smirk off my face as I gathered the flags and marched off the field.
When the trucks were once again loaded, we all of course went ahead and congratulated each other. "Wow, we did it!!" Alora said excitedly. "I dropped my flag." Nelly said dryly. "Everyone does at the first performance." Mrs. Loren said, coming in to congratulate us, the three new people. "But that's why we have other performances and other competitions before championships." "Yeah." Nelly said. "So, how do you guys all think you did?" She asked the entire guard.
"Well, for a first performance, that wasn't that bad." Talie said. "And I believe I can speak for everyone." The guard all nodded, bobbing their heads together. "Usually we totally screw it up. But we didn't today! I think we have a really good chance of taking championships this season." Talie added. Me and Alora exchanged grins. . .this was definitely good!
Then we went back to the stands, sitting down next to our stuff as the band played 'pep music.' I zoned out for the entire game because I didn't really like football all too much. But later when my dad came to pick me up and I threw my stuff in the car, he asked, "So, how was your first game?"
"It was good!" I said. "We ROCK!" And I grinned, and felt proud of our marching band. "Not as bad as you thought?" My dad asked.
"No. . . it actually wasn't."
((so, how was that? Did it make any sense at all? Hey Julia, we killed the box! Mambo!))
Well, it's been about a month since band camp ended. Over that month, I had gotten more accustomed to the marching aspect of marching band, and began to develop an understanding of the work. Yes, it still confused me a bit, and there were times that when walking through band members I'd whack one of them, but I still understood it! Some of the work made more sense now and I could sort of do it while marching. For a new person like me, that was an accomplishment. The new school year had started and now I was in 8th grade officially. And I had to secretly admit it was kind of cool (a/n: cool! Haha!) to be able to say to my friends, "Sorry, I can't talk, I have to go to marching band practice." But anyway, now that I was somewhat accustomed to marching and doing the routine, now came my next challenge . . .
The first performance.
~*~*~*~*~*~
"Christine!" "Mrf." "Christine!" "MRF!" "CHRIS-" "Okay, okay, I'm getting up!" What time was it, anyway? It was Saturday morning and my dad was ~waking me up?~ Whatever for? Why would I, Christine, have to wake up early Saturday morning for? Then a thought entered my dim morning brain . . . ~don't I have marching band practice or something?~ MARCHING BAND PRACTICE!! Oh, crud!
I leaped out of bed, looking at my clock which now read, "8:15." Oh, crud, 8:15 . . . practice started at 9:00! I had completely forgotten about that until now! Today was the first ever performance . . . today was where we got to go perform at a football game. Our. . . first performance!
I quickly got changed and speed-ate breakfast. This was my very first performance. . . my first! There was no way I was going to be late. I checked my uniform, seeing that all parts of it (and there were lots of parts to it, actually) were together and correct. Good. . . they were. I also stuffed some lunch into my bookbag and got ready as quick as I could.
My dad drove me to the school. I got out of the car and went into the school, finding the 'guard corner' (yes, the band gets a band room and we have a 'guard corner.'). Alora was already there, and Nelly was just arriving also. Cara waved to me, and Chrisabel gave a small snore. Evidently she hadn't entirely awakened either. "Can you believe it?" Alora whispered. "Our first performance." I nodded at her. "Everyone up to the practice field!" Said Talie, coming out of the band room. Kat poked Chrisabel. "Wake up, we have to practice." She said. "Mmph." Chrisabel muttered, sitting up reluctantly. "Yeah okay." She said, sighing in a resigned way.
We practiced for two and a half hours before loading the trucks. We all leaned our flags up against the truck and went to change.
We all invaded the bathroom, taking over the stalls and leaving the band members to wait. I took the middle stall, taking out all of my uniform. "Darn, I hate tights." I heard someone (I think it was Kat) say. "Ouch!" Came another voice. "Can someone zip me?" Was another. THUMP! "Hey!" Someone tried to put their tights on but became imbalanced and knocked into someone, making them both fall over.
I couldn't help but grin as I tightened the shiny cumber bun around my waist. So this was what it was like to change with the rest of the guard! I stuffed the last of my practice clothes into my garment bag and came out to see Kat, Talie, and Cara all tangled up on the floor and grinning. I shook my head and left, and as I got on the bus couldn't help but think, ~That's my colorguard.~
Alora plopped next to me, shoving her garment bag next to mine. "Hey." She said. "Did Cara, Talie, and Kat ever get untangled?" I asked, grinning. "Yeah, believe it or not." She replied. "Hey, everyone, I have some stuff for you." Talie said as she got on the bus. "I usually always give everyone something at the first football game, as some of you older members know." Smiling, Talie handed each one of us a little bag of candy with a paper tied onto it that read, "Ponra High School Marching Band 2001-2002 First Football Game". I grinned, gently untying it and promising to save this for later. "Thank you, Talie." We all chorused. Shelley also had stuff for us. She gave us little bags with a cookie in it.
"Wow, they are so nice." Alora whispered. "Doing all this stuff for us." "Yeah." I whispered back, selecting a little hard candy from the bag and eating it. "They are nice." I agreed.
We drove to the game, which was at a really weird stadium. The football field itself was about 10 minutes away from the actual school that it belonged to. "Is it usually like this?" Nelly asked. "No, it's just this field, I think." Kat said reassuringly.
We left the bus and got our flags from the truck upon arrival. I took my two flags (at the time there were only two) and leaned them against the bleachers. We dropped our stuff in the bleachers themselves by where the band was. Me, Nelly, and Alora quickly huddled together. "I am so nervous." Alora said. "Yeah." Nelly agreed. "Oh, don't be!" Cara said, urging us down by our flags and out of our tight group in the bleachers. "It's only a football game, after all." "What do you mean 'only a football game'?" Alora demanded. "It's our first performance!" "Yes, true. But it's not a competition!" And Cara bounced off, leaving us to follow her.
"Competition . . .?" Nelly said, looking at us two. "Dunno what that is." Replied Alora. "It's that thing on the schedule that says 'September 22nd, Competition at Pentano 4 pm.'" I added. "Doesn't tell us anything." Alora muttered as we got our flags and went to join the rest of the guard. We set up in a block, and Mrs. Loren told us to go ahead and do 50 drop spins. I was still not used to this and had to struggle through the last twenty. Then she motioned for us to line up. "Go ahead and line up with the rest of the band." Mrs. Loren said. "And I wish you all the best of luck at your first performance." I smiled at her, trying to disguise my nervousness.
We then lined up. I gave a final check of my skirt and a glance at the field before the drum major called, "Band, atten-hut!" And everyone replied, "Ponra Hut!" The drummers began their opening cadence, we all marked time, and then. . . our first performance was to begin.
"Good luck." Hissed Dani from behind me. "Thanks, you too." I hissed back.
"Now entering the field, the Ponra High School marching band!" The loudspeaker blared, announcing us to the spectators. I felt the Astroturf of the field under my marching boots for the very first time. And I felt that feeling of pride once again. . . and what a grand feeling it was.
I set up my flags and returned to the opening spot. The band was behind a wall, and so were we. As we all stood behind the wall in an orderly fashion, we exchanged final 'good lucks' before the band set up. ~Ready or not, here we go.~ I thought when the music started. And then. . . well, and then the music started. It gave me confidence.I felt as if I could really actually do this.
"One, two, one two three four!" The drum major said. The first drum beat struck, and from then on, it was entirely up to us!
~******~
Buh dadum.bumbadum! The final drum rang out through the entire field as the flag I tossed sailed in the wind before returning to my hands. We had done it! We had truly done the show! The crowd cheered and applauded, even all the the-lights-are-on-but-nobody's-home football players (sorry to all you football fans here) clapped. That sense of pride I felt briefly at the preview show during band camp returned, and I truly felt part of the marching band at this point. I couldn't keep the smirk off my face as I gathered the flags and marched off the field.
When the trucks were once again loaded, we all of course went ahead and congratulated each other. "Wow, we did it!!" Alora said excitedly. "I dropped my flag." Nelly said dryly. "Everyone does at the first performance." Mrs. Loren said, coming in to congratulate us, the three new people. "But that's why we have other performances and other competitions before championships." "Yeah." Nelly said. "So, how do you guys all think you did?" She asked the entire guard.
"Well, for a first performance, that wasn't that bad." Talie said. "And I believe I can speak for everyone." The guard all nodded, bobbing their heads together. "Usually we totally screw it up. But we didn't today! I think we have a really good chance of taking championships this season." Talie added. Me and Alora exchanged grins. . .this was definitely good!
Then we went back to the stands, sitting down next to our stuff as the band played 'pep music.' I zoned out for the entire game because I didn't really like football all too much. But later when my dad came to pick me up and I threw my stuff in the car, he asked, "So, how was your first game?"
"It was good!" I said. "We ROCK!" And I grinned, and felt proud of our marching band. "Not as bad as you thought?" My dad asked.
"No. . . it actually wasn't."
((so, how was that? Did it make any sense at all? Hey Julia, we killed the box! Mambo!))