Glenn’s Trumpet Notes

Jupiter Pocket Trumpet, Model JPT-416

On 19-20 October in Fulton, Texas, about 30 of us classmates gathered for our reunion, celebrating 60 years after graduation from little Sinton High School in little Sinton, Texas, near Corpus Christi on the Gulf of Mexico. Almost another 30 of us have already passed away.  Recognizing, at our 50th reunion in 2008, that Father Time is on the march, we started having our reunions every two years. This year, we decided to cut that in half. From here on, we’ll be getting together every year—it’s our SMO schedule—“See Me Out!”

Before the reunion, my wife and I had lunch at the Water Street Oyster Bar in Corpus Christi with my cousin, Tricia Brown, to celebrate her birthday. As we reminisced about the high school football games, pep squad, cheerleaders and band, I got a bright idea. A few days later, I presented it to our class reunion leader, Hattie Beth Fojtik. How about letting me play the “SHS Fight Song” on my pocket trumpet, while everyone else sings it, like we used to at the Friday night games in the old football stadium [no longer in use]? I got the green light.

So, what did I do? Naturally, I played three songs by memory: the fight song, “My Country ‘Tis of Thee,” and “Auld Lang Syne.” I handed out the lyrics, and they all sang! In the banter that sprang up amongst us, we honored our former football players, cheerleaders, pep squad, band members, and veterans. It was grand.

Check out my Jupiter pocket trumpet in my blog post of 31 March 2018. When we travel, I take it with me so that I can keep in practice and not let my embouchure muscles atrophy; i.e., keep my chops strong and flexible. I’ll probably take it again next year, too, although who knows whether they’ll ever let me play it again (chuckle).