My grandmother has never been the easiest woman to impress but my father could always do it. When he would play the trombone, my grandmother s eyes would sparkle and light up like fireworks on the fourth of July. I always wished my grandmother would look at me like that but it was only my father who could generate that look of pride. My grandmother is an amazing fan of marching bands, so watching her son play must have been great. My father and my grandmother are the two people I adore and respect the most in this world and all I wanted to do was make them proud.
My sophomore year in high school I joined the football team. Since I didn t play much, I got on the special team. My parents would come to games to watch me but my grandmother would never glance at me once. She would always be completely focused on the drum line with this look in her eyes. This look like she had been cheated; she should have a grandson out there. A grandson who would stand out there in line with his head held high, looking like some god as he played, stick moving in perfect unison with the rest of the line.
But all she had was a little boy getting hurt. When I saw my grandmother look like that, it really hurt me. I wanted to be my father for her, but I didn t think I was capable. Then my good friend Tiffany who was in drum line convinced me to try out for it although I had never even picked up a stick. I finally agreed and started going to practice with her, and I don t think I have ever been more intimidated in my life. I remember walking into the room where the drums were kept.
The Homework on Line Father Ship People
Dear Grandfather, December 22, 1880 We finally arrived, mother father and I. we all miss you grandmother and china so much. How is everything, we are all fine... We got off Angel Island three days ago and now we are at our new home. Its not the greatest especially compared to our home with you and grandmother in China, but I have to say that anything is better than the ship ride here, to America. ...
The room had a curious smell that I couldn t quite place. It was sort of like stale cotton candy and shoe polish. I would stand in there and watch Courtney, Kevin, and Sidney in absolute wonderment as they played (something I still d to this day).
They played like my father used to, and that is all I wanted to do.
So I worked really hard for the next few months, I ended up playing the bass drum, and my grandmother was at the game to watch me play. I do not think I will ever forget the moment I saw her face. It was about halfway through Beethoven s 9 th symphony; right at the part where the band breaks in to Ode to Joy. I was almost like a movie, it seemed like it was in slow motion as looked up into the stands and saw my grandmother s face with that same look of sheer pride she used to give my father.
I don t think all the happy, joyous words in the English language could describe just how wonderful I felt. I thought I was going to start crying right there on the football field I was so happy. My grandmother was proud of me. I felt like that in some way I had brought a little piece of my father back to her. By being in drum line I am doing something, my father would have done, and that makes me happier than anyone will ever know. I wish he was here to join me play, I think he d enjoy it.
And I although I will never be as good as my father was, I’m going to keep working at it. I want to see how many looks of pride I can get out of my grandmother. And who knows, maybe I’m getting one out of my father too.
