We went to an American College football game the other night. Cal Poly vs Eastern Washington. Despite desert, night time, butt numbing temperatures, we were in AMERICANA NIRVANA!!!! We marveled at the skill of the baton twirler, (3 batons were on fire!) were awed by the dancers, cheerleaders and colour guard members and thought the football game wasn’t too bad either.
However, what really impressed us was the 175 member marching band. Granted, they looked a little nerdy in their white military outfits and caps with yellow plumes, but, the way they moved around the field, dipping, changing directions, seamlessly moving from formation to formation while never missing a beat or a note was something else.
Imagine our excitement when they gathered at our end of the field waiting to perform their half time show.
Suddenly “Shout” blasted on the speakers between a play. All 175 members reacted. Some only nodded their heads. Others added knee bends.
And then we spotted him... the clarinet player. This guy was in a class of his own. He just threw it down. He would raise his hands, lean backwards, shake his hips and snap up. He would fold forwards from the waist, howl, spin and jump. He even pretended to nut people. (Lead with the forehead, stop centimeters before bashing someone else’s). Head, ams,legs, and torso moved, at times, all at once, BUT NEVER TO THE BEAT OF THE MUSIC. The trumpet section ignored him, the drummers turned away, even his own section gave him a mixed reception. He was oblivious. He did not care. He was in his own world.
We couldn’t take our eyes off of him. We lost it. Ahhhhahahhahahaha! It couldn’t be helped. Wave after waves of belly laughs rolled out. We tried to stop. Really. We knew we shouldn’t be laughing at someone else’s expense. I’d wipe my eyes, breath deeply but then John would snort. And off we would go again. HAHAHAHAHA! We wondered aloud if the guy knew how funny he looked. I told John to get it on film, but too late. The song ended. Still chuckling, we looked around to see if others were as amused as us.
No one was. NO ONE. How could they have not found this guy funny? What was wrong with them? Oh God...Ahhahahahahahahaha!!!
The announcer started recognizing the seniors from the band. “Terry Black - Aerospace Engineering, John Sherman - Chemical Engineering, Fred Stamos - Double major, Biochemical Engineering and Math.... on and on it went.
We stopped laughing. Belatedly,the words of Bill Gates came to me. “Be nice to nerds, because some day you might work for one.”
Bloody good thing we are retired!
Shelley and John
