StraightAhead

My wife and I took a trip up to Austin last weekend because I accepted a Trumpet Job playing Taps at a big Juneteenth ceremony up there.  We used to call them bugle jobs when I was in the Army band.  The trumpet players in the section took turns going to towns  around my post to play for guys who had come back in body bags from Viet Nam.  We usually traveled with an honor guard who did the 21 gun thing , sometimes you traveled alone.  It was always sad of course but you were just kindof doing a job for the family.  I do remember one black funeral in particular that was very hard.  The first couple of notes from my trumpet started a round of uncontrolable crying and sobbing from the crowd.  This was at the cemetery and I usually hid behind a tree or something to make it more mysterious i guess.  It was all I could do to get through the 24 notes of taps that day, I wanted to cry myself.  That’s pretty much how that war affected me especially when I came so close to the families that had lost their young sons.   Anyway, back to Austin.  I played up there in a building holding about 300 people.  My wife and I were the white faces in a sea of black.  I did a good job, didn’t crack any notes, and many of them patted me on the back and said good job with a smile on their faces.  It was a good experience and I always like going up to Austin.  We watched the bats come out from under the Congress bridge about 9pm friday night. We goofed around Austin the next day after I played taps.  I love that city.  We went to Whole Foods and ate lunch at one of the many counters in there.  The wine and food was good.