Of pancakes, tubas and nostalgia

The son of a former neighbor, a senior at Wooster High, is taking a college calc. class this semester and so sold Chuck some tickets to the annual Wooster Music Parent pancake breakfast. Since pairing that event with the annual Tuba Christmas, it has become their best fundraiser, surpassing even the fruit sale (ah, the fruit sale and my first experience with Excel spreadsheets....). We lined up with the rest of Wooster, including many members of the Red Hat Club (whose desire for eccentricity is surpassed only by their conformity to the uniform, but that is another story), and got our brunch this morning. Then Chuck wanted to duck into the auditorium where the rehearsal for the Tuba Christmas was going on. One year he managed to play in that, but it comes at a particularly busy time of the school year and so he didn't continue. Mr. Bennett, the assistant band director, who arrived at Wooster High School with Jenny in 1987, spied us in the back and came over to invite Chuck to join them. He'd round up a tuba for him, he said, and "who was doing 'error calculations'?" for the growling joy-filled occasion. Alas, Chuck said no, the rest of the day's errands and rehearsals in mind. I'd have loved a bit of such spontaneity but I don't play a lower brass instrument. What blew me away is that Mr. Bennett (I don't suppose he'd mind if I called him Doug at this point) remembered us, asked after our girls, and even said he'd let Chuck sit with the other Michiganders--Mr. Bennett and Mr. Adams being huge Ohio State fans. He must have interacted with hundreds of music parents since the late 80s. He told us thank you for sending such wonderful children their way....oh, nostalgia attack! I fear many more in heading our way in the next few months.