30 years? When did I get old?
30ish years ago, my mom bought me this clarinet. She paid $75. for it. Not new. It was owned previously by some girl named Shelly Leffler. It probably wasn't new to her. At any rate, it's bizarre I remember all of that. Because, like I said, it was 30 years ago. I was going into the 4th grade. Didn't I have other important facts to be stashing in the back of my head at that time?
It's not like I ever got good at it. I took lessons once a week at the school. From a woman who is currently serving a sentence for murder...but I suppose it is beside the point that she killed her husband or boyfriend or whoever he was sometime after my clarinet playing days. Still, it adds to the story...because...well...you know I don't actually have any stories about my life that don't have some crazy event associated with them. But, yeah...beside the point. The point is, I was never good at it.
My guess is none of us were very good.
My mom joined the Army when I was almost 14 and that was that. The clarinet went in its case and I never did anything with it again.
Fast forward 30 years...(I can't get over this 30 year aspect)...new hobby. For today, anyway. I printed off a bunch of 3rd grade level sheet music and remembered how to play it. Which, is crazy. Because, did I mention 3rd grade was 30 freakin' years ago?
It needs new corks. And to be cleaned. And probably new pads. Do I even want to know how much that is going to cost? Truthfully, it's probably cheaper to buy a new one, but I'm sentimentally attached to this one.
My kids were all icked out I put a reed with 30 year old (maybe only 27 year old) spit on it in my mouth. Which makes me wonder...will all of their life stories come with crazy associations?
