Just Be Yourself
When I was a teen some 25 years ago, I played trumpet in the school band. We did a Halloween parade, but I had nothing to dress in costume for. I decided on a large black sheet with a hole in the top for my huge ponytail to stick out from the top in all its glory of crazy frizzy poof of curls, and a hole for my face and arms to stick out. I got a lot of “Wtf are you supposed to be?” I don’t know, I suppose.
Anyway, after the parade, my mother wanted to see my locker before leaving just to surprise check for anything not allowed. We pass by the auditorium and notice a talent show just beginning. Mom pressured me to enter playing my trumpet. In this weird costume no less.
By the time I was to go on, I still had no clue what to play. I felt silly in my Halloween costume getup when nobody else was in costume unless they were dancing or a magician acting.
I walked down the aisle towards the stage with trumpet in hand, contemplating what to do in my nervousness. Heard whispers among the crowd, as I climbed the little three steps of stairs up the stage, I trip and fall up the remaining two stairs. I’m so clumsy.
So I stand up and play it off like I meant to do that. Began acting silly and tooting my horn like a duck. Did a silly dance to an improv version of the most basic song to play, Hot Cross Buns/Three Blind Mice.
Ripples of kids are giggling in the audience. I see my mother’s face contorted in displeasure that I’m not being serious enough to win this. Too bad Mom, this is my time to shine in all my goofy glorious weirdness.
I wiggle my topknot poof and play a few jazzy bits of songs some older folks should know.
Then to finish off, I act like I’m swimming a bit and begin playing “Under The Sea” from The Little Mermaid I had learned the year before. End it by pretending to drown as I left back down the stairs without falling.
Mom took me out in the hall to have her fit for about 10 mins while the last contestants finish the show.
She then goes off to look thru my locker while I put away my trumpet and prepare to leave. I wait for her by the auditorium exit. They begin announcing the winners.
I won first place.