BEST RETREAT CONVERSATION EVER !

Lining up for retreat is always a mess. Nobody really knows where to go, where to stand, who to line up next to or to march in tempo at simply walk to the spot.

I always end up having a chat with the members of the corps next to us.

Last year at Championships I tried to talk to a Senators trumpet player, but they took retreat a little too serious. We hadn't even entered the field yet.

Last night in Huizen we had the pleasure of being lined up next to Johan Friso from Middelburg (Juliana's feeder corps),.. and what a fun bunch!!!

Most of the corps was standing there at attention waitong for the signal to enter the field, but there were two adorable little kids (a boy and a girl) right in between the snares and the bass drums that were looking around as if they had never seen grown-ups in a uniform.

Both of them can't have been older than 5 or 6 I guess!

I just thought I'd break the ice and ask one of them: "Did you have a good show? " And there they went... they just never stopped talking.

The little girl gave me a full list of all instruments she played. I got the impression she actually WAS the pit and played pretty much EVERY INSTRUMENT... xylophone, samba balls, some drums, rhythm instruments, gong, chimes,... I never knew the corps had so much stuff in their pit.

Then boy said: "I was in the TRUNK" during the show!"

"Yes,... me too!", the girl immediately added.

That was odd.... Now I felt sorry I didn't get to see their show as they were on this afternoon, but I wondered what a bunch of kids would be doing in a trunk (book chest) during their show. The show is based on music from Lion King, Jungle Book and Tarzan.

"Just the two of you?" I curiously asked. I winked to the boy and said... "Luck you then! Being stuck in a trunk just with her!".

"No no..." he replied "not just us,... all of us", .

At this moment I was completely lost! I want to see their show next time!

Members of other corps on either side of us were listening in on our conversation and laughing because of the kids' answers. True,... they were some fun kids to talk to. I was having a great time, which was roughly disturbed by the cadence that started at the frontsideline and all corps lined up had to start moving.

The two kids waved at me when they stepped off.

I hope we will be positioned next to Johan Friso again some time at a future show. I would love to hear the WHOLE story about five or six five-year-olds in a trunk in the pit during a drumcorps show! Kids are so pure. They tell you everything that's on their mind.

Man was this fun! Last night's conversation makes me even more curious now. They should have a webcam built in into this trunk/chest!

Enjoy,

HK