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Random Encounters


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You're walking along, just doing whatever and not really thinking about it - and you see or hear something that could only be Drum Corps. A Random Encounter with a fan, when Drum Corps is the last thing you'd expect to see/hear is a pretty thrilling moment - an instant friend, even if for only a moment. :w00t:

I've had two encounters recently, both a complete and wonderful surprise:

Heading in for jury duty, wearing a Madison Scouts hat; guard at the security check-point noticed the hat and mentioned his brother had marched with Chordaliers back in the '70s. Twenty minute conversation followed, instant friend. Next day, same courthouse, I wore my Troopers 2011 DCI shirt and met a state prosecuter that marched Racine Scouts. Another wonderful conversation, another instant friend.

Yesterday, I was helping my Aunt with work around her property for the day. Headed out for lunch at a little restaurant called Helen's Kitchen in Waupun, WI. While checking out, I put my Scouts hat back on... and was immediately asked if I had a son in the Scouts. Three ladies at a table next to us were also Drum Corps fans! One had a son in the Scouts (and was beaming with pride at seeing my hat) and another marched Star of Indiana in '91. I was listening to the '91 season on my way to Waupun that morning!

I wanted to stay and talk, but we still had a ton of work to do - I did grab my CDs and run back in, only to find they had left also (I didn't see which way they went).

So, to the ladies I met in Helen's Kitchen: You made my day a whole lot better, and hopefully our encounter made your's a brighter one too.

There's bound to be hundreds of tales like these out there - what Random, Unexpected Encounters have you had recently?

Yeah the same kinda thing happened to me. I live in Huntsville Texas and I am a student at SHSU. I was wearing a Cavies shirt and went to the store with my mom to help her out and what not. And the pharmacist asked me if I marched with the Green Machine. :w00t: I got all excited like because at the time I didn't attend school at SHSU but went to a junior college in Brenham Texas, so this was a whole new experience for me in Huntsville. He marched with Phantom Regiment back in the late 60's, early 70's if I can remember right. And sadly that man passed away from a car accident. Every time I went to that store I made sure I went to where he was working to talk drum corps. I learned a lot from that man, and knowing that Phantom Regiment's show title was "Into the Light" really fit the mood.

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  • 2 months later...

I was a course marshal for the Sugar Land Marathon (TX) this morning. As I was steering traffic and cheering on the runners, a man runs by with a Gulf Coast Sound shirt on so I loudly cheered him and GCS on. Sounded like he might not have been the only member as I heard a few cheers after I yelled "Renegades!".

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Last summer on tour, we had a laundry day (who knows where). We ageout vets put in our laundry, did our chores, etc. then went to get some pizza. The guy running the pizza place said "Hey, are you Troopers?" Turns out he was a baritone in BD from '74 to '78.

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Nice bump! I had forgot about this thread - went back and reread every post. :cool:

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My freshman English teacher marched in Muchachos. On the first day of class (my first day of college), he called me out on my Garfield Cadets shirt, noting that they used to "beat the #### out of those guys when I marched."

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Kim aged out with 1st Canadian Regiment in 1982. Last year, we met at a winter guard contest. I met Kim again yesterday. She was judging a guard contest. We decided to continue meeting. Too cool :D

About 6 months ago, I was in the store checkout line and right behind me was Karen. I'd seen her sisters Val and Colleen at our 2006 reunion but it was the first time I'd seen Karen since 1977. Cool too:D

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Great thread!

I was in an elevator while I was attending graduate school in Chicago. Girl in the elevator notices by 1987 PR shirt. She says did you march?

I said sure did, '87 in fact........she asked if I knew a certain ex-member...........I said sure I do, I lived with him and his family that summer.

She said she marched currenlty and my-ex roommate is an instructor now for PR.

Small world!

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My freshman English teacher marched in Muchachos. On the first day of class (my first day of college), he called me out on my Garfield Cadets shirt, noting that they used to "beat the #### out of those guys when I marched."

cool... similar to my experience too. In my Masters Program, my Professor in my Political Geography grad class was the father of Jim Centorino (later a DC Hall of Famer ) who was a former soprano soloist with the Boston Crusaders and was at the time of my classes in the Rhode Island Matadors DCA competing Drum Corps as a soprano soloist. But I knew both Father and Son before I signed up for the class so I was " home free " in that class.... well, at least I THOUGHT I was anyway. He made me work harder than the others to get a good grade in his class for simply knowing him and his son... haha. ( terrific professor and overall great guy he was .)

Edited by BRASSO
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I just started my music education internship at a local high school. As the band director here was introducing me to people I found out that one of the other teachers here marched Glassmen in the 80s!

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Very cool thread. I'll chime in on a few experiences.

While working for vector selling cutco this past spring and summer, I went to an elderly couples house to do a demo and show them the knives. I was wearing my pennies from Bluecoats during the demo and they asked what that was from. I went on to explain that I was part of a music group called a drum corps. Apparently one of their sons had marched VK in the 70's. I was stoked! But found out later that he had died some years back at the age of 33. I thought that was a cool run in though.

A more recent event happened a few weeks ago. My best friend for several years who never marched corps or had any interest in marching. He played hockey instead. But he had always told me about his uncle who was a trumpet player and that I should meet him. I get a text from my friend that he barely found out his uncle also marched VK but back in the 60's. Really small world and crazy cool!

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