A lone figure stood facing the sound in the waning sunlight. Standing high in the distance, the snow-capped Mount Rainer glimmered as the sun slowly disappeared into the horizon. Sitting high on his driftwood perch, Nathan was deeply engrossed in his thoughts about life and what the future held in store for him. Even with a 4.0 GPA and numerous academic awards entering his junior year of high school, Nathan's calling in life was not in the textbooks he constantly read, but with the music he played. His muddy blond hair and blue eyes were illuminated by the orange sky above as he stared at his muscular build in the calmness of the sound. With marching band camp beginning clear on the other side of the country in a few days, he enjoyed what little solace he could find as his vacation faded with the sun.
Music had been a major part of his life ever since 5th grade and, with his promotion to clarinet section leader, band would consume every single ounce of his life. "When band directors begin their recruiting in 5th grade, do they ever tell the whole truth about what you're getting into?" Nathan pondered as the cool breeze eased his tense mind. "Hot, sweaty August days that remind a person of an arid desert, marching to the beat of a drum. Bustin' your chops for the greatest football team in the state of Virginia. Nawh, they lure potential candidates with time out of class and catchy tunes like Let's Go Band! and Star Wars or classics like William Tell." Nathan reminisced of his former self and wonder whether that short, red-headed, no muscle yet speedy nerd of a 5th grader would realize that he would still be playing Let's Go Band as a junior in high school. Least of all, could he see himself as a leader of his peers in his specialty, the clarinet? Marching Band had made him strong and cool, at least with his fellow band geeks.
Standing up, Nathan proclaimed, "I, Nathan Kokomo, want to publicly thank Mrs. Hibbits for duping me into joining this world called band. It may not be the most popular group, but it's my life and I wouldn't have it any other way." With that, he glanced around and noticed that he had caught the attention of a few confused seagulls. Sitting down, his boldness vanished as he realized how nervous he really was about his new position of authority on the inside. Full of doubt, Nathan wondered how he would be treated and how he would leave his mark on the band. "I just need to chillax and leave the future alone for now," he commented. "Of course my peers aren't going to be initially easy to work with. However, just give them time and everything will work out fine."
That night, Nathan left all his insecurities crashing with the surf on the beach and relished in the fact that what was once the dreams of a weak dweeb is a source of reality for his older counterpart. As he boarded the plane bound for northern Virginia, Nathan didn't know that this position of authority would forever transform his life in so many ways. Instead, he was too busy enjoying his remaining hours of relaxation with the sounds of Benny Goodman and Chuck Mangione while bracing himself for the grueling, yet rewarding hell of marching band. As soon as Nathan stepped off that plane, a legend was born and the rest is history.
