Picking up pieces of jewelry in the tiny carved wooden box painted with water colors given to her as a child when her parents were on a mission trip to Mexico, she holds and weighs each treasure in her hand. The soft brown plastic beads from her days as a Sunbeam princess at camp then she sees the round silver Junior Soldier pin from her enrollment as a seven year old engraved with the crest and eagles. The eagles were removed for the states not longer after she was presented it so in some circles it is now considered a collectors item but to Ellen it is a piece of her history. Next to it is the gold pin which she received as an Honor Junior Soldier a few years later. It required a lot of classes and memorization of Salvation Army facts and generals.
Glancing around she picks up the metal with the three leaves attached in green, red, and gold from the time when she was a General’s Girl Guard before the new program started with the Catherine Booth Award. She earned all the emblems that were available in the manual not so much to be the best but she because she enjoyed having so much fun with her friends.
Then she sees a bronze medal from when she was a corps cadet and a member of the Bible Bowl team. She remembers all the fun van trips to other corps in the division to compete. How many friends she made! They lost of the territorial competition, but it was worth all of the effort and it helped her discover an interest in all the stories and biographies found throughout the Bible.
Next her hand wanders over to the shiny gold broach in the corner. It too is a crest but without the eagles. She has many different pins, “Others”, crests in silver and white, many others but this is her favorite pin to wear with her white uniform Esther blouse even if the pins have started not to be the trend anymore with uniforms. She likes the way it makes the uniform complete. She decides to wear today.
She fastens her skirt and thinks to herself, “I’m so glad they now make these things with a kick pleat because it is so much easier to climb into the 15 passenger van this way.” She finishes grimacing in the mirror while trying to fasten the tiny button at the neck. She attached the crest to the collar and glances at herself in the mirror. Where did she put those epaulet sleeves? Did she forget to take them off last week’s dry cleaning? At least her tunic is hanging in the closet and it won’t matter if she can’t find them.
She then twists her long brown hair into a French twist and methodically places each bobby pin to catch any loose strands that attempt to fall.
Walking to the closet, she stumbles over Anne’s flip flops that have been left to rot on the floor and her off-black hose catch on the knob of the dresser. “Well at least I have another pair since buying them in bulk at Wal-Mart”, she thinks to herself. There is one pair left as she opens the green box container, “Anne must have “borrowed” some again”.
She slides her feet into the solid black leather two-inch heels and readjusts her tunic to fit evenly over her body and arms. Evaluating herself in the mirror, she checks her “Saved to Serve” Ss identical on each shoulder. Anne rushes in, “Are you ready to go yet? You take forever!”
Ellen intently looks at her, “Anne did you notice your Ss are upside down again and not lined up with the seam either.”
“Who cares? At least I’ve remembered to put them on this week and just so you know I took out my ear rings too if you’re worried about that as well” smirks Anne.
“I like your hair today with the soft curls cascading from your up-do, it’s very pretty. Would you show me how to do my hair like that sometime?” asks Ellen.
“Sure. We better go, the neighborhood kids are waiting to be picked up for Sunday School and you are fifteen minutes later than usual” remarks Anne while looking at her gold watch given to her by her father at her last birthday.
Dressed in her dark blue skirt and white polo top, ponytail and matching dark blue ribbon, Maggie runs into the room “Come on you guys! We need to get Katie and Ariel, they’re waiting for us! I don’t want to be late!”
Maggie glances at her sisters, “I hate these white socks. They never stay up. I want to wear heels like you and Anne. Why do I have to wear flats? I think I’d look like a real woman in heels. What do you think?”
“I think that you have plenty of time to grow up and have fun. Just remember to keep you legs together this week when you play in junior band” reminds Anne.
“Ugh. It’s so uncomfortable and makes my legs hurt from staying that way too long! No one cares anyway” answers Maggie.
“You will one day” advises Anne. “Come on. Some how Ellen managed to beat us to the van and she was the last one to get dressed”.
Sunday services are good. Tthe potluck with plenty of homemade food and delicious deserts following the meeting to celebrate the Community Care Secretary’s birthday is well attended. Mrs. Dashing bought a large decorated chocolate sheet cake with whipped topping from Sams. She also made her famous punch of mango, orange juice, red Kool-Aid, and Sprite topped with a can of fruit salad.
The following Thursday, Anne asks Ellen if she wants to join her for practice this week for band and songsters at Captain Brandon’s corps across town. Anne and Brandon have been talking regularly on Facebook chat and have become good friends.
“It’s only about twenty minutes away and it would be good for you to meet other young adults in the area” convinces Anne. Ellen knowingly agrees and they head over to the corps in the worn out corps van that visibly drives out of alignment down the highway.
Anne’s voice carries down the hallway into the Fellowship Hall where the adults are having Bible Study for the evening before the rehearsals begin. “What is an off-beat?” she excitedly asks her motley crew of cornet, alto horn, euphonium, trombone and Eb tuba players.
“It’s a beat that’s wrong!” confidently answers Allen.
“Good answer, but not quite right. Anyone else?” inquires Anne.
“It’s a beat that’s silent, like you are holding your breath” knowingly Mike announces to everyone else.
Anne nods her head “Another good answer, but I am looking for something a little different:”
“I know. I know. It’s something you play in between the main beats. Like an ump-pa sound!” responds Ariel.
“Very good answer! Let’s clap our hands together and I will demonstrate the off beat.” After a few seconds of random clapping Anne lowers her eyebrows “Let’s try that again. Clap on the beat when I count I -2-3- 4” relieved Anne responds “Much better. Now I’ll try the off-beat again. It will be on the “and” of a beat. Say with me, 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + in an even rhythm of clapping with each other.
Captain Brandon stands outside the room grinning as he listens to Anne’s teaching. He remembers the challenges of being a junior band teacher for many years and his mind wanders to once being a young student himself trying to figure it all out.
Brandon chimes in after a pause in instruction, “I just wanted to let you know. It’s five to seven.” Anne looks at him with a sigh of relief. “Thanks for letting us know. Ok everybody make sure you take your Master Class books home so you can practice at least 15 minutes a day.”
“Do I have to?” asks Ariel “I never really practice anyway. I wish that you could just decide how good you wanted to be and then be that good.”
“Yes. If you show me that you’ve practiced and are able to play your homework, I’ll let you decide what piece you would like for the class to learn next. How does that sound?”
“Great! I’m going to practice every day. I’m going to show Allen and Mike they’re not the only ones who know to play” excitedly responds Ariel.
As the Senior Band begins to play Ellen is quite content. Brandon has made it a “favorites night” so anyone can offer suggestions to play for practice. Ellen has asked for “Assignment”, “Gold Crest”, “God’s Children” and “Southdown” older marches but well-liked. Other suggestions from band members for the evening taking a journey down memory lane are “Light Walk” and “Daniel”. Everyone in the band appears to be having a great time together.
Songster rehearsal goes pretty well too. Mrs. Alice Hammer likes to be the soloist but her pitch left the room a few days ago. Evidently in her day she was the divisional soloist who performed at territorial and divisional events. She is one of the founding members of the territorial songsters. Mr. Beaton who has sang bass for years since he was a teenager still claims he can only read music in treble cleft. Angel and Lynnette both like to sing loudly but don’t always sing the same melody as everyone else or each other. Sue likes to add her own version of a descant but not always in the same key as the music. It is an interesting group and everyone has a good time even if the result can be a little piercing at times. Ellen thinks the Songsters have similar characteristics to the choir from “Vicar of Dibley”.
Both Ellen and Anne have sung together since they were children and when requested to as adults. To their credit, neither of them talks much about their talent, but they have beautiful voices and are appreciated every time they sing together.
Brandon and Anne spend most of the break before and after band talking. Anne found some music while unpacking her plastic green tubs that she wants to share with him. He seems quite pleased to have copies of the new songster music. Afterwards she looks thru and sorts the music library in the band room.
“Maybe if you don’t mind, I can come over after my classes and help you organize the band and songster music. You have a lot of good pieces but unfortunately at times have been shoved into the filing cabinets wherever someone could manage to fit them” asks Anne.
Brandon is dressed in jeans and a white emergency disaster services t-shirt that he acquired on his most recent hurricane duty. He is wearing a black zipper hoodie with a red shield on the left side that he had made at the local printers for the corps youth group. Brandon smiles, “Sounds great. I could pay you by taking you to dinner sometime if you would like”.
“Do you mind if I choose the place? There are some great restaurants I’ve been wanting to try out” Anne says returning Brandon’s smile.
“Thanks so much for helping teach the junior band too. They are sounding quite good. I’m impressed. You do a great job with the kids and they like you a lot” compliments Brandon while offering to hold a stack of music she has chosen to set aside to practice on the piano.
“Really? I’ve been working hard with them. Sometimes I just can’t tell if they are listening or not. It feels like I spend most of my time breaking up a verbal competition between Allen and Mike over who plays the highest or the loudest. I just wish they would play in tune . . .” shaking her head and raising her eyebrows in disbelief sincerely replies Anne.
“Would you like to go for an ice cream at DQ before you head back home? I can drop you off at your home if you want me to” shyly asks Brandon as he lowers his head but looks up at Anne. He isn’t use to asking anyone out. Most of the elderly Home League ladies schedule him for lunches and dinners way in advance in order to make sure they are able to spend their time with him.
“Sure. Let me tell Ellen and I’ll be right back. Their dipped chocolate cones are my favorite!” enthusiastically replies Anne.
Brandon is relieved that Anne is happy to go with him. Perhaps it will give her a chance to get to know him better and be more comfortable around him. “She is such a kind person and lovely to look at too” thinks Brandon to himself.
They walk out to his light blue car together. Brandon notices that the back gate to the fields and parking lot hasn’t been locked. He tells Anne and heads over to the iron gate that guards the corps buses and vans. The chain and lock are hanging loosely from one of the poles. For the first time Anne notices that she is attracted to Brandon but keeps these thoughts to herself and decides to think about this later when she has time to sort through her new feelings.
Anne and Brandon talk for a couple of hours at DQ without noticing the time. Brandon tells her of his officership and growing up as a child who came to the corps through the Character building programs. He explains how an officer took him under his wings and mentored him. He tells her of his calling, training experience, and the spiritual journey of the past few years.
Anne shares with him about moving during her childhood and all the places that she has been to because of it. She tells him of her goals and dreams for the future. She explains that she is a Future Officer Fellowship member, but she doesn’t see that in her future any time soon until she completes her degree.
They enjoy the stories of each other. Anne feels as if a new story is beginning.
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