Marching On The Club Book 3

Chapter 38

Chapter 38
Tarpon Classic
We were sitting in the stands; the stands behind the field. We always did every season, and I kind of disliked it only because we couldn't see the shows too good. If there was a big prop then that could be in our way from seeing something awesome, but if there was a big prop that they use at one point; we'll be able to see that. I was sitting with Johanna, Isabel, and Erin. They just now returned from the concession stands, and so I thought that they wouldn't want to get back up and out of the stands right after coming back. I moved to a part in the stands where it was up higher, so maybe I could get a better view. William was somewhere in the stands. He wasn't sitting with me for once, but that doesn't mean we're not friends. Amber and Ashley soon joined me in the stands. It looked as if they've just arrived at the stands from the busses for they didn't have any food with them or anything. "Hey, do you guys mind going to the concession stands with me? I'd like to get something," I said. "Sure, I am pretty hungry," Amber agreed. Ashley and Amber followed me to the concession stands as a marching band marched on the field. "Can I get ice cream," Amber asked. "Sure; I'll wait for you."
Ashley joined Amber to get ice cream with her. I kept an eye on them so I wouldn't lose track of them among the crowd. There was several band members from marching bands all around the county. The ice cream stand was a blue stand with an umbrella with the word; "Dipping Dots," which was a commercial for a ice cream as well as a company that makes ice creams. Next to the ice cream stand was probably one of the main reasons why there was literally a crowd of people everywhere, but that's how all concession stands are like. There was a group of firefighters who were part of this event that involved a bar that you had to pull your chin up onto. It was like doing a push up only you're pushing yourself up into in the air and back down again. They were trying to see how many "pull ups," the band members could do. I could barely pull myself up even if I tried on that thing. I probably couldn't even do one even if I wanted to. Next to the event, there was a lemonade stand, another ice cream stand, and then there was the concession stands. Ashley and Kerry joined me after getting their ice cream. Ashley seemed to be distracted by the event that was going on; she was looking in the same direction as everyone else was. Everyone was looking at the chin up event the firefighters were holding and there were already a line of band members just waiting to get their turn at the event, and there was already a band member trying out the event. I paid no attention to it, and I walked away with Amber trailed behind me. Ashley eventually looked away from the pull up event to see that Amber was way ahead of her.
"Wait up!"
Ashley ran to catch up with the two of us. I was just walking on by until out of the corner of my eyes I saw French Fries being cooked next to the concession stands in some kind of a barbecue stand.
  "THEY HAVE FRIES!?!?"
  I had to get in line. Ashley laughed at my reaction. "You sure have a love for fries, don't you," Ashley asked.
  "Oh, you know me. I would die for fries!"
"You think?"
Ashley and Amber joined me in line, just to not lose me, as they started eating their ice creams. I got my fries, and then there was another lemonade stand, but this time they also sold other goodies like, cherriade, limeade, and funnel cakes. Next to that stand was yet another lemonade stand, but this time they were selling fresh frozen lemonade. Ashley wanted a funnel cake, and I wanted lemonade to go with my fries. We got in line and we got our food and drink. We kept walking to the other side of the football field; where there were tents everywhere selling knickknacks and such. I went to a tent where they were selling pins because I love getting pins; especially those that were marching band related. Nearly all the pins that were there were related to either band or marching band, but what was really cool was the fact that we could choose to customize our pins if we wanted to. I've always wanted to customize my own pin because of the fact that I have never found the perfect one pin that satisfied my one saying in the marching band that I used to always say before. But now that things have changed not only in my heart, but also in the band itself. I have longed missed that phrase; "Marching Band is Family," and it is high time that I got myself a pin that said it. I grabbed a piece of paper that had text on it;
'What color do you want the pin?' Then a blank next to the question. I wrote 'Black and white.' The next question was;
'Draw or write what you want on it,' and then there was space underneath it. I wrote; 'Upside down treble clef with an upright bass clef connected to each other to make a heart.' The last question was; 'What is your number,' and there was two check boxes. One of the checkboxes read; 'Call me when it's done,' and the other one read; 'text me when it's done.' I checked the 'text me,' box after writing my number down.
After a few bands played their show, I checked my phone and I got a missed text telling me that my pin is ready to be picked up. This time Nicholas was nearby, and although Amber and Ashley were still sitting next to me, they didn't want to get back up for a third time because they went back to the concession stands at one point to get nachos and popcorn. Nicholas told me that he was getting a little hungry himself, and so we decided to go to the concession stands after a band plays their show because I wanted to see their show as their show last season impressed me. It wasn't too long before William finally sat next to Nicholas. "Hey, do you want to go to the concession stands with us," Nicholas asked him.
"I just got back!"
  "It's okay; you don't have to come," I said.
"Aren't you hungry though?"
"Nah, I just ate!"
We left the stands to go to the concession stands once more. Nicholas got his funnel cake, and I have received the pin that I had gotten customized. The pin looked awesome; more awesome than I had pictured it in my mind! It had the text; "Marching Band is Family," and the picture of an upside down treble clef and upright bass clef. But there was also a rose drawn in between the two of them, and they made it all look as if the bass clef, treble clef, and the words itself was all a part of the thorns of the rose. It kind of made it a little hard to read from far away, but if you looked closer it was the phrase that I had long missed for so long. I haven't heard one soul say anything like it or close to it, or that phrase itself! That phrase was long dead. I proudly showed Nicholas the pin. "Marching Band is... Gamely," he asked; squinting his eyes trying to read the last word. "Family," I corrected him.
"Ah!"
  I looked at the pin, and I could see why he thought the f was a g; because it looked awfully like a g; that's why! But I admired the pin because of how well their work of art is, and it reminded me of all the great times we as a marching band whole have together. I thought of the times we fought, and forgave. I thought of all the mistakes I made, and how I wanted to make it up to the band. Not just the band; my band. To be more specific, my band family. Because no other words brings you closer together than the one word; "family." There is no other word that warms your heart together, and nothing better sues that broken heart back together than the word; "family."