Band mom

Spent the morning at Mayhem #2's first high school UIL concert band and sight reading competition. Why is it that I'm the only parent that goes with any intention to help? After taking Mayhem #2 to school and sticking around till everyone was on the bus, I followed said bus to the competition site. I parked the car and hobbled over to her to collect her jacket. She had worn it to carry her reed water and retainer case. After she unloaded the necessary stuff it became mine.

I then hobbled over to where they were unloading the truck. There I found out that two kids had missed the bus. The assisstant band director was standing there with two horn cases in his hands. The kids had started going toward the other side of the building to go in the designated door by the warm-up room. I asked the band director what I could do. He said, "Can you hang on to these?" Yep. Now I have two trumpets and a jacket and a broken foot. I hobble after the band.

There was a stack of chairs in the hall so I took one down to sit in and one to prop my foot in. Put the trumpets on the floor and the jacket in my lap. A couple of guys walk up talking and I realize they are two of the judges for the sight reading portion. I resist the urge to talk with them since I'm in my band t-shirt and don't want to do anything inappropriate. A few minutes later a couple of girls come around the corner. One belongs to one of the trumpets and the other is a percussionist. The trumpeter takes her horn and leaves the case and a jacket. The other one changes shoes and leaves her backpack. I take the two horn cases, two jackets, and backpack and hobble to the auditorium. Oh, I still have the broken foot too.

After listening to the band that went before Mayhem #2's, I hobbled back to the practice room to see if anyone needed me to hold anything else. There I collected a purse and prayed if there was a cell phone in it it was off. I had passed off the trumpet cases to an administrator so I added the purse to the rest of my collection. The band was great on their first two pieces, but the third was a bit rough in spots. Not flawless, but overall a good performance. They headed off to the sight reading, but I don't go in the room for that. The kids don't need a bunch of parents staring at them when they are trying to figure out new music.

I found someone to hold "my" stuff and hobbled off to the restroom. This mom took pity on me and kept the purse and backpack. I hobbled outside to find the kids. They were pretty bummed about their sight reading performance. We still have to stick around for scores and to wait for the varsity band to perform. I got rid of all "my" stuff at that point and collected a different purse and sweatshirt from girls who were in the other band.

We listened to the other band, and when I came out of the auditorium one of the bus drivers was there. He said they had to park on the other side of nowhere. He gave me his cell number and asked me to call when they were ready for the buses. I wasn't sure where the band would come out of the building so I hobbled over to the truck and sat on the back bumper. I knew everyone would show up there and I would know when to call the bus driver.

They did. I did. Handed off "my" other stuff and hobbled to the car. Gave the administrator the emergency kit that I had brought in my car and waited for the bus to move so I could go home and prop up my aching foot.

Mayhem #2's band made a "1" on stage and a "2" sight reading. They wanted all ones, but they seemed pleased. I don't know how the top band did, but I wouldn't be surprised with all ones.