Trumpet Player

A Story by Dan Hautzinger

A girl Preforms a song she wrote

Emily opens her eyes on this bright morning; for a year all of her efforts, her thoughts and prayers centered on today. This was her time, she has been practicing constantly, obsessing for weeks, thought of nothing else for days her moment has arrived. She is nervous, she is tense, she is hopeful, she is confident, she is ready. Today the flower opens, it is exposed, it’s purposes becomes evident it blooms to its full beauty. Emily takes a long shower paying attention to every detail; she cleans herself, shaves the important parts, washes her hair and conditions it. Drying and styling her blond hair she carefully applies what little make up she needs. She is very pretty her natural red lips sets off her beautiful fair skin she does not need makeup but feels a little goes a long way. Her dress is a simple sleeveless wrap the turquoise color sets off her bright green eyes. Emily likes yogurt with granola mixed in and a couple glasses of cranberry juice for breakfast. She wants to be light and active, feel energized and in complete control because this is her day and she wants nothing to get in the way. She goes to the car and starts the drive to her destiny.

Emily arrives, parks and sits in the car for a few minutes gathering her thoughts and emotions before she sees Michael. Taking a deep breath she gets out of the car, she walks to the stairs and moves up them. Her steps light, her body a little tense her mind focused on the upcoming activity. This is her first time, she has practiced and went over this in her mind so many times she thought she knew exactly what to expect. As with all things in life what actually happens is never close to the anticipation and expectation of a major event. Emily walks through the door Michael is standing there waiting for her, he seems to be as nervous about what is going to happen as she is. She knows they both want this to be the most special event in both their young lives. Michael smiles, she takes his arm and they enter the room.

Emily stops in the middle of the stage, in front of the band. As the lead trumpet and the writer of this song she gets the place of honor. The band members smile at her they seem to be excited, She looks at Michael her collaboration partner he gives her a wink. She has been over every note of the piece hundreds of times each rest each measure the pace the time signature compared with the theme of the song. Then the solo, she gave herself 16 measures in the middle of the song. It was written to the limits of her talents, she wrote it so she should know. With her trumpet firmly in hand, the congregation waiting, the band is ready, she gestures, they begin. The music flows in and around the room, the players effortlessly play her notes they seem in a trance as they play. The mood and feelings surround her, she hears nothing but the music the world stops, it’s her time. She turns to the congregation, raises her trumpet and begins. The tone in flawless the notes have a life of they own she attacks and releases and breathes perfectly. She runs from a G to a double C holds it for 4 then drops to a G then middle C. She double tongues up to a B rests for 2 then jumps to a high C and ends with a single triple tongue. She turns to the band the tears streaming down her beautiful face, she knows it was perfect the crowd applauds. The band members smiling Michael cries. The song ends and she falls to her knees sobbing the congregation stands to applaud her, the band stands and shouts to her. She turns to the crowd her family smiling and shouting. Her life has changed, the flower opened she has arrived into her true self.