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Tuesday, December 18, 2007
“Trumpeter wants to share joy”
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
This tale revolves around a trumpet and a train.
First the trumpet.
Jerry Robb always wanted to play the trumpet. Unfortunately, his parents didn’t have the money, or interest, to buy him one. The violin was the only instrument his school rented, so that’s what he took up as a kid in Raleigh. He switched to the French horn in seventh grade.
Then, as fate would have it, a neighbor had an old trumpet for sale for $25. It had holes; Robb bought it and soldered them up.
“It sounded terrible,” he said. “But it was so hard to blow that I learned pretty good.”
Eventually, Robb would get a better trumpet. He played in high school as well as the marching band and orchestra at North Carolina State University.
These days, he doesn’t play much, “unless I’ve had a couple glasses of wine,” he told me. “That’s the only way I can stand the sound.”
Recently his elderly neighbor, Helen Miller, asked him to buy a trumpet as a gift for her adult son. Like Robb, he’d wanted to play the brass instrument, but Miller steered him to the clarinet. The trumpet was to be her “guilt offering,” Robb explained, but her son didn’t want it.
Rather than return the new trumpet, Robb bought it from Miller: $499, plus tax. Now the Duluth resident wants to give it away.
“I want to find a young guy or gal who has great potential and interest in music, but does not have money to buy a trumpet,” he said. “I will give that kid this trumpet. It could be a great Christmas gift. I just know somebody out there would be really thankful to have this opportunity.” What a heart.
As further inspiration, he plans to throw in a music book and a CD of his favorite solo trumpeter - the late Rafael Mendez.
“He was my mentor as a kid,” said Robb, 60, a salesman.
If you’re interested in the trumpet, contact Jerry Robb at 678-283-9787 or e-mail jrobb3328@aol.com.
Now, about that train
“The Polar Express” seems to have displaced “It’s a Wonderful Life” as the favorite holiday film. The computer-animated movie, first released in 2004, has been on TV a half dozen or so times this season. A children’s film based on believing and faith almost sounds cliche in this day and time. In reality, though, these are timeless topics, tales worth exploring.
If you’ve missed recent televised showings of “The Polar Express,” drop by Tucker First United Methodist Church at 6:15 p.m. Wednesday. My church is showing it for free as part of a family movie night for the community. Cookies, hot chocolate and popcorn will be provided. Rumor has it that Santa might make an appearance.
Tucker First United Methodist Church is at 5095 LaVistaRoad, in Tucker. Details: 770-938-3030. And, if your church or community of faith has something going on for children this season, send a note about it to bwilson@ajc.com with the subject listed as “Church Notes.”
Rick Badie’s column appears on Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays. Contact him at 770-263-3875 or e-mail rbadie@ajc.com.
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