5/23/06

On Monday night I directed my final spring concert at my current school. When I first came to this school I started the tradition of playing Time to Say Goodbye in honor of the departing senior class. While it is always difficult to say goodbye to the senior class, this time I was saying goodbye to the entire community, so I had difficulty getting through my farewell speech. The kids presented me with a new briefcase and a framed picture of the senior class, along with signed cards. I kept my self-control before the piece was played, but almost lost it during the music. When the song was completed, there were tears, hugs, thanks from parents, and many many pictures. Then, a throng of kids and two directors, gathered around a piano, ignoring waiting parents, to sing Elton John’s Rocket Man. This is a ritual repeated after every performance – I don’t know how it started, but it has grown from a smattering of students requesting my assistant or I play songs on the piano, to over half the band singing and laughing until the song is complete, after which they head off to Sonic or Dairy Queen.    ***DANGER RUN-ON SENTENCE***. As this was my final Rocket Man, the video cameras were rolling and the singing was especially spirited.   After all the students had left and the building was locked, my assistant and I made some small talk and I drove home, reflecting over the six years I’ve spent here. I’ve taken an emotional and marital beating since coming here, but at least I have some good memories to take home with me to San Antonio.