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DEL.ICIO.US“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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Comments
By Jim
December 18, 2007 8:51 AM | Link to this
I was given a used trumpet when I was in junior high school but never really took to it.
I wanted a guitar but my parents did not like country & western or rock and roll and thought if I was given a trumpet I’d learn to like other music.
As an adult, I eventually bought a guitar and took lessons for years before I finally had to admit that I had no talent.
I still like 1950-early 60s rock and roll.
When I first moved to the Atlanta area, we lived in an apartment and the man who lived to our right, belonged to a Drum and Bugle Corps.
When a trumpet is played well, I do enjoy it but I will never forget that bugle blaring off key through our common wall.
May all horn players live on two acres of land.
By Jais
December 18, 2007 4:30 PM | Link to this
I think this would make a great addition to AMERICAN PIE THREE
This one time…at band camp…
By LilburnDazed
December 19, 2007 8:49 AM | Link to this
I came here to read an article about a trumpeter but got a commercial for Badie’s church instead. How crazy is that?
By dpbear
December 19, 2007 12:36 PM | Link to this
LilburnDazed - the trumpeter story was the majority of the column. What you called the “commercial for Badie’s church” was three short paragraphs (the first of which talked about The Polar Express - not the church).
By Airborne
December 19, 2007 1:49 PM | Link to this
LilburnDazed you picked the right name for yourself.It seems like every comment you respond to,you seem to be confused.Are you ok,do you have your security blanket with you,or did you forget to take your anti-depressant meds? I Don’t understand why it’s so hard for you and Mark to come out of the cave and see the new world.What’s wrong?
By Mark
December 19, 2007 4:31 PM | Link to this
airborne
What’s wrong is that you yourself are clueless. See your doctor. You are either very old, or you fell on your head after many parachute landings. We all have a right to our opinions same as you do. But you have no right to condemn ours because you think different.No one wants to hear the opinion of a mental midget.
By Airborne
December 31, 2007 5:12 PM | Link to this
You know mark,the comments that you write,is dedicated to not only mental midgets such as you,but people that think onthe same level as you.I never said people did’nt have a right to their opinions,it’s just that you seem to down grade everyone that has an opionion.No i’m not an old man,but i was man enough to serve this country as a ‘paratrooper and i think thats more that i can say for your cowardly behind.It was men like me who gave up there lives so sorry people like you could have the rights to their opionions.While you were hiding under your parents protection,real men were serving their country.So before you call someone a mental midget,look in the mirror and see if you rate yourself as a real man,and not one who lives off of others to have freedom.When you walk the miles we have, then you can complain,as of now continue to figure out how to peel a banana,and don’t cheat.
By Airborne
December 31, 2007 6:11 PM | Link to this
Mark before i wish you a happy new year,and i hope you had a happy kwanza,as far as mental midgets are concerned,well that’s the level of mentality that anyone needs to be, in order to be on your level.I told you once before,that when they were giving out brains,you thought they said trains,and asked for a slow one.How can you forget that?Were tour parents related before they got married,because you surely think backwoods.Have a nice holiday,and drive safe,because i’ll be looking forward to hearing from your dysfuntional,don’t never have nothing nice to say about anyone,or anything.Opionions are free,but your mind is still locked up on hate and racism.Please tell the readers what you do at home,and what you contribute to your neighborhood,i’m sure they would like to know.It seems like you’re the old man who bump his head,because all you do is complain and whine.Just to think how dumb you’ve gotten in whatever amount of time you been on earth,and still you don’t know what you’re here for.Are you sure your parents love you?Real parents would take someone like you to church and let you meet people that do know how to get along.I hope you don’t have children,because the world does’nt need more racist,backwoods,scared to face reality type of people to continue a negative cycle.