The Greatest Trumpet Player in the World

Katie D.

I went home to visit family this past weekend. My step-mother, who is a fabulous 2^nd grade teacher, and I were discussing the chicken pox vaccine and the issues it can bring into a school system. It had me remember my chicken pox story.

I got the chicken pox in 8^th grade. It was awful. I even had them in my mouth. It was June and all the end of year events were going on.  I missed my oldest sister Emily’s High School Graduation.  I missed the Funtown field trip with the band and chorus. I had to attend my 8^th grade promotion ceremony and dance with my hair flipped over the side of my face to cover the pockmarks.  But the biggest miss for me was the band and chorus concert. I had a trumpet solo in the West Side Story piece.  My first solo.  My friend Tim was my understudy and I loved giving him shit about it.   It had seemed so silly to have an understudy for a band concert in junior high. Well that little SOB called me at home the day of the concert to rub it in my face. I didn’t go on to play the trumpet in high school. In fact, I never played the trumpet again and have since donated it back to the school.

What if I never got the chicken pox? If only they had a vaccine for them, oh wait, they do! Maybe I would have gone on to be the greatest trumpet player in the entire world.  My step-mom and I had a good laugh and thought it could be a good PSA advising parents what their kids could miss out on!  Both my boys have the vaccine.