Homecoming Parade

It was the biggest game of the year, besides Thanksgiving. Even though the game was at 7, the marching band was at the school at 4, perfecting the music and getting ready for the parade. The drumline was goofing off. They had found a Frisbee that lit up when it was thrown and were playing in the pitch black auditorium where we practiced. Oftentimes the Frisbee would be thrown into the seating area instead of the aisles and either the boys would dive into the chairs and get tangled in them, or they would chase the Frisbee down the sloped auditorium. I sat on the edge of the stage, watching this comic act and warming up on my forearms. The director walked into the auditorium to see what we were up to, and the all-to-often heard "DRUMMERS!!" echoed through the place. The lights were quickly turned on and the boys walked up towards the stage, one chasing the Frisbee down through the seats. We practiced for a little while, the cadence mostly, and got into our uniform.

We joined the band assembled outside and marched single file to the start of the parade. While other sections talked and laughed together, the drumline was busy tuning our equipment and warming up. When the uniform went on, the line was all business.

We watched the floats get in line behind us. We were the front of the parade. We got in formation and the drum major counted us off. The snare line kept the beat of our footsteps as the drum major shouted, "Forward, march!" As soon as we stepped off, the police escort in front of us turned on their sirens as did the fire trucks directly behind us. It was so loud! I could barely hear the drum next to me. The section leader, seeing the band start to march off time, and seeing his line struggle to hear his beat, started playing even louder. The drum major came gliding through the band on a scooter. "They're kinda loud, huh?" he yelled towards us, gesturing towards the fire trucks.

Finally, we made it to the field. As we walked around the track around the outside of the field, the fire trucks and police cars veered off and made for the station. We marched around the track...5 times. By the end, my ears were ringing from the sirens, my hands were killing me from the intensity of the cadence, and my back hurt from trying to support a drum that was practically as big as me. But the spirit of the band and the crowd pushes you on.