First, find your envelope at the registration table, then: “Great to see you!”, “Wow, you’ve hardly changed!”, “Give me a big hug!”, “I didn’t know YOU were coming!”, “Holy Cow, it IS you!”, “Oh-My-God… My FIRST KISS!”… and lots more. Then lots more hugs and laughs looking at posterboards and tables loaded with old pictures, before dinner tables were called. Singing the Welcome Song (Wow, did those words ever stick with me!). Who’s that playing the obbligato? Plenty of food. Moving chairs into a large semi-circle for some chorus singing. Songbooks for everyone to keep. Bob Wadsworth still as precise as ever. Singing old favorites from concerts-past. Applause from the guests. Setting up the chairs again, this time for the band. About 50 former-campers (also several spouses!) brought along their horns. Marty getting ready to conduct a sight-reading-rehearsal. Uh-oh, he’s going around with a tuning machine. Uh-oh again, he really wants the right dynamics played. Wow, Marty’s really serious about this— OK, that’s a good thing. Chatter from every table, but it stops when Marty raises his baton and stares at the crowd. This is FUN. More chatter and table-hopping. A jazz ensemble takes over— AND THEY’RE SUPER!
As the crowd slipped away, fatigue set in for everyone. Let’s get some sleep, tomorrow will be even better— if my adrenaline can keep kicking in.
(or maybe basses)
