2008-06-29 - 10:17 p.m.

...2nd post ... BRAh-ZIIIIILLLLL.....

For those of you who have been reading for awhile, you will know that (a) I'm a clarinetist, and (b) that the theme to the movie Brazil has also become my Mountain University Theme Song (due to years of f-ups involving forms, more forms, and renegade plumbers...)

Well, today, in the wake of the hottest part of the day, I was sitting on the front porch enjoying a slight breeze...when all of a sudden....THE THEME FROM BRAZIL CAME WAFTING UP TO THE PORCH....from a band of renegade, unseen musicians in the park.

I was called. I literally felt the calling...

So with minimal encouragement from K, I hauled out my old faithful clarinet, slapped on a reed...and pounded out that old favorite melody right back at them...a moment of silence on the other side of the park... several people looking up my way... K said, "Well, what are you waiting for. Go ask if you can play with them."

So I went out the front door, feeling like a little kid who just moved to the neighborhood, and saw another kid playing ball in the street, and was encouraged by Ma to just go out and ask if I could play, too. And I did.

I showed up at the rickety old bandstand..and saw the craziest looking band of rickety old musicians blasting out some music. I looked up sheepishly - they immediately waved and beckoned me up. We played Brazil. We played it again. We played theme from Hogan's Heroes. We got out kazoos and SANG the theme. And then we finished it off by marching through the park doing an improv, minor key version of "You Are My Sunshine." It was a blast.

They asked me to come back next week. And I think that I will.