[TPIN] "Just Another Gig?"

[nickmondello at optonline.net]

Each year, I am invited by a local yacht club to play two bugle gigs: a "To The Color" officer installation gig and a "Taps" Memorial Day gig. They're very nice people, treat me beautifully, so I happily accomodate them. I did the installation gig today and had a touching experience.While waiting for the speeches to finish and the politicos to finish their photos, a young boy, maybe 7 or 8, incessantly shadowed me, asking me numerous times if "I could try your trumpet. I play piano now, but, I want to play the trumpet!" I saw the kid's Dad nearby and finally gave in. "After the ceremony, if I have my other horn in the car, you can try it," I said. The kid beamed. Of course, the meaner side of me said to split as soon as the "show" was over, but, I just couldn't do it. (I vividly remembered when, as a young boy myself, my Mom, a deeply religious woman, took me up to Maynard at a concert to have him "bless" my horn, which he gladly did. True.)After the bugling performance, I sounded the child's Dad and asked him and the boy over to my car. I took out my older horn, an extra mouthpiece, and gave the kid a quickie mini-lesson. The child blurted out a few raspberry sounds and was absolutely thrilled. The proud Dad smiled. As the boy ran off after his "lesson," I asked the Dad the son's name. "Gabriel," he said. I was floored.  I honestly don't know who had the better day today, the future child trumpeter or the bugler.