Confessions of a Band GeekI was so glad to hear that Taurus was going to pick us all up with her Toyota Unser. I knew it’s going to be a long day and it’s going to be more enjoyable if I didn’t have to drive. I’m always a lazy advantage-taking bug.
There were seven of us in the car – Taurus, two Narnians, Cinci, SLK, Dom and me. Of course we talked and shared about everything and nothing. Pillow talk, with a little unexplained awkwardness.
When we arrived at the stadium, it was packed with band geeks. It was like a marching band addiction meet-up group. Why not? It’s the annual state marching band competition. Everyone had to be there. We had to be there to see our juniors perform.
It’s perfect for flashbacks.
#Everyone spends five years in high school here. I went to Chung Ling Butterworth High School. Five of the years, I was in the school band －marching band by day, wind orchestra by night. I was never really fond of the marching part, I preferred just playing music. I thought being in a marching band would make me look geeky. But all members had to participate anyway.
I was a percussionist in the band. Most people consider drummers cool, that’s why I chose to enter the percussion section in the first place. And if you’re in the brass or woodwind section, you might have to share instruments with other members, which practically means sharing saliva. #
“JIT SIN! JIT SIN!” supporters shouting when Jit Sin High School marching band was up to perform. Dom and I shrugged our shoulders in ignorance.
# “Tap tap……tap tap……” that was the sound of SLK’s marching snare drum, providing the band a seemingly steady rhythm to march in. Everyone was exhausted, we had been running our drills and formations from morning till evening. Being our drum major, Hooi was trying his best to keep everyone both in line and in spirit. Based on the degree of sunburn on his almost Hellboy-colored skin, you could tell how fatigued he was, and how dedicated he was to the upcoming state competition.
During practice, we would have little 5-minute breaks. Sometimes we sit right down complaining about the weather, sometimes we had banters going around. Most of the time Taurus brought Hooi water to drink – they were dating. They still are the cutest couple among my friends. Who says high school sweethearts don’t last?
When the competition was getting near, that’s when you could see a lot of dramas and emotions going on. It was make or break, as we’re in our senior years, which meant no more next year to fight for our long-awaited championship. All these years Jit Sin had been claiming the title with us coming short. It was now or never for us. #
Due to some technical miscommunication, the markers on the field needed to be readjusted for Chung Ling’s band to perform in. We thought to ourselves, it’s time for ex-members to ‘perform’. Hooi gathered all of us to brief us about the mission. Although Hooi already graduated like the rest of us, he spent his holiday coaching the band. So there were about 25 of us eager to help on the mission. It was like a reunion, reminding us of the good old days.
The organizers gave us ten minutes to readjust all the markers on the field before our band was up to perform – we usually used a few hours measuring and drawing markers on our own field. So there we were in front of thousands of spectators, a small troop of non-uniformed soldiers battling in the field, fighting with markers on the floor. We managed to finish the task in time, then we ran back to the audience podium shouting ‘Chung Ling! Chung Ling!’ all the way. Hooi said we’re a bunch of crazy seniors.
# It was a few minutes before we’re up to perform. Everyone gathered and Hooi briefed us about what to do and what not to do. It was a nervous time. All of a sudden, someone stepped out and gave us a motivational and moving speech – he was already full of tears by the time he finished talking. It still sends chills down my bone every time I think of it. We got all pumped up, and gave our best performance – at least we thought so.
The band was in the ready position when the results were being announced. Which meant no immediate shouting of joy if we’re to be announced winners. I was almost certain we were finally getting our title because of the amount of hard work we put in and the maturity of our performance that brewed for five years. When we were announced as the first runner-up, everyone stood still. There were teardrops on my quad tom. #
It sent chills down our bone when Chung Ling’s band performed a marching band version of ‘We’re All In This Together’. It was perfect for all of us. We’re amazed by how well they performed with just three weeks of practice – it usually took months. We shouted our joys from the audience podium. This might be our long-awaited championship performance.
The band was in the ready position when the results were being announced. Ex-members were all standing beside the field, readying to explode and rush to our bands if they were to be announced winners. We could hear Hooi’s heartbeats from a few steps away. Everyone was dying to find out if this performance would be Hooi’s masterpiece. I looked at the band on the field and thought to myself : that used to be us. I’d give anything to go back and experience that life in the band again.
The second runner-up was announced, and it wasn’t Chung Ling. And everyone knew it was up to either Chung Ling or Jit Sin to win the title. It was exactly like our time two years ago, but we all hoped and wished that the outcome could be different this time.
When the first runner-up was announced, everyone stood still again.
# It was a weird time. It’s wrong to congratulate each other and it’s hard to give condolences when you’re already crying. We didn’t know the appropriate expression to give on our face. In the midst of Jit Sin’s celebration, somehow we gained the guts to sing our school anthem. At least we needed to pretend that we still had our spirits high. It was sunset when we went home. #
Jit Sin marching band won 7 in a row. That was the headline of the night. Well, for sure they spent more time into this competition than our band did. At least our band got the best drum major award, which Hooi never got. It was a happy night for the band, most members are satisfied with the result as they already exceeded expectations.
I can’t say it’s a happy night for the rest of us ex-members. Of course we’re happy for the band’s achievements, but in a way, we felt old. We were done. The band reminded us of who we used to be and how great our lives were when it was all about band practice and rehearsals. Sometimes when your past is too good to be true, it’s hard to move on to the next stage – which will not include marching under the hot sun.
# When we were back in our bandroom, everyone calmed down and we talked and shared our feelings. Somewhere along the line someone shouted ‘One Band, One Sound! Wooohoooo!’. I kept shouting and wiped the tears away from my drumhead.#
