CrunchyTenor Posted May 24, 2008 Share Posted May 24, 2008 (edited) Well, VK didn't tour in 71, so that was a no-brainer. In 72 they were on tour with us, so that was a no-brainer. In 73, my grandmother passed away just before tour. But instead of going to the funeral and then joining the corps on tour, my Mom (it was her Mom) said it was better I remember her as she was and that she would have preferred I go on tour with the corps. And my Mom was right, since it was Grandma that paid my corps initiation fee and my 72 tour fees. She got off cheap! She had taken my brother to Hawai'i and my sister to Australia for their graduation. I went to the NW and Canada instead of Germany for the Olympics. My other brother didn't get a graduation trip, either, but the government sent him to Vietnam! He only made two calls home, but did send us a mini reel-to-reel player and sent us tapes. Garry in Vegas Edited May 24, 2008 by CrunchyTenor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Other Mike Posted May 24, 2008 Share Posted May 24, 2008 We never talked about drum corps other than in the context of how she felt I was throwing my life away by hanging around with "that bunch of low lifes" ...Pretty standard, really. Yep, "That bunch of low lifes" well except for Charlie & glenda, and she sorta liked eddie and cheese, for some reason they were all ok in her eyes because they didn;t come across as low lifes raised on the streets by whore mothers and abusive fathers and let to run the streets like gang members with THOSE JACKETS on looking for aLL SORTS OF TROUBLE. Funny, as years went on, she realized that we WERE a street gang but instead of guns and knives we had instruments. At times she would let any of the kids stay over because she felt they were safer at our house thrn going to the home above a bar that one of the kids parents ran. She really cared for those kids, just didn't want to be involved. Don't drink ALL of my scotch, the milk or your fathers beer. Anything else they were welcomed to. But what I remember most was the parents that were real involved in the corps, everyone had that 3nd 3rd mom & pop that at least TRIED to set boundries.. Back one year I was running short of money for the last days of a 34 day tour. Located one of the fathers who was flying up in 2 days that lived in the neighborhood then called dad and asked if it was possible for him to pass by Mr. Massey's house and drop off $15 dollars so I wouldn't be eating crap on the road home. When Mr. Massey flew in he walked up and handed me an envelope with a note from my parents telling me that they actually loved me and to make sure I was having a good time and to get plenty of rest on the trip home because dad had 3 loads of riversand delivered for me to spread, CRAP But inside wasn't the $15 I asked for, instead there was $50. Remember, thats back when you could eat fast food for a $1 a meal. It's one of those things that I wish Pop was still alive so that I could tell him how much that not only helped me, but how I covered several other peoples last meals on the road. Thanks Dad, we might not have liked each other but you always came through when I was in a bind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerriTroop Posted May 24, 2008 Share Posted May 24, 2008 My folks split up when I was 15, and at the time my dad and I weren't on good terms so we didn't talk during the summers. My mom didn't have $$ for corps so we did a lot of bake sale and garage sale combinations along with begging and stuff. My mom could have been one of those "this is a waste of money and time" people, but she wasn't. She supported my marching years fully and for that I will always be grateful. We were close and I called her probably 2 times a week. (this was LONG before cell phones!) Mom passed on this past January, but I still say thank you to her in my heart every day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GGarrett Posted May 24, 2008 Share Posted May 24, 2008 My folks came to every local show they could, and did a good job of it. But going on tour with the corps I was in was too hard for them. No cell phones back in my day, so I called when I could and they would both get on the phone and be excited about what I had to tell...even if they weren't really excited to hear some of the stories! In my age out year, however, my mom, dad and younger sister drove to one of our 2nd tour cities (back when corps did two shorter tours instead of one long one) and surprised me by showing up. I was shocked to see them all, and it was great as they followed the corps for three shows along the tour. Unfortunately, due to my dads work, they had to return home before DCI that year, but they were with us right up to the last show before DCI week. My parents were always very supportive of my being in an activity that allowed me to see so much of the country. I was the 4th of five kids in my family, so my folks weren't freaking out so bad by the time me and my younger sister were growing up. In fact, I seem to recall them being more like: "OK, well, have a great time! Call us if you get work!" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mellofan Posted May 24, 2008 Share Posted May 24, 2008 When I was in the Miami Valley Lancers in the summer of 1975, I remember only a small tour to the Chicago area around July 4th and then maybe another short week or two on the road. The other road trip was for the US Open. I don't think there were any phone calls at all. My parents were great when it came to supporting their kids. All four of us were in high school band, and they came to just about everything we did. It was my mom who showed me the article about the local drum corps and encouraged me to check it out. They came to every local drum corps show or parade and then to the US Open in Marion. They were probably two of the only dozen or so members of the audience who watched us perform early on that Saturday morning in August of 1975. Fast forward to 2004. When my 15 year old daughter joined the Troopers (her first corps) and went on tour, she was given a cell phone. She'd call with their scores and any milestone event. I never worried about her safety and didn't get angry if she hadn't called. The contact was left up to her. I figured that the corps would call if there was an issue. She's only been ill once on tour when I felt that I needed to contact the corps' director and their touring doctor. Now we text. She texts me their scores, and I send her the other contests' results. It is actually more frustrating when I am volunteering with the corps when they are in my area or during finals week. Then she tends to ignore me unless she wants something. Typical kid, huh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustABandMom Posted May 24, 2008 Share Posted May 24, 2008 Ha! Maybe the question the kids should be asking is what are your parents doing while you are out on tour? For example.... -- I'M DRIVING YOUR CAR, SON!! I cleaned it and I'm just taking it everywhere. It's so much more fun to drive than mine! I'm busy trying to perfect my double-clutching technique. Also working on learning how to shift without clutching. That one is taking me awhile. But your new tranny and clutch work great. I think I'll have it all broken in by the time you get home from tour. I also think that burning smell will go away by then too... I let your little brother move into your room. He had a few friends over and I heard a loud crash upstairs in your room. I don't think you'll even notice the dent on the underside of your Strad or the peculiar way it kind of bends slightly to the right. We hammered a couple of the smaller dents out ourselves. Did a pretty nice job too. Enjoy your time at camp! Love, Mom Just kidding. --He doesn't even have a little brother. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkyDog Posted May 25, 2008 Share Posted May 25, 2008 I didn't speak to my parents at all. One year I returned home to find out I didn't have a home -- we had been evicted! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cathie Wiener Posted May 25, 2008 Share Posted May 25, 2008 Ha! Maybe the question the kids should be asking is what are your parents doing while you are out on tour? Just kidding. --He doesn't even have a little brother. I know you were just kidding, but wow did this hit a nerve with me. About three weeks before move-in back in 95 my younger brother was using my car and got in a car wreck (not his fault). He was fine, but my car was totalled. So with expedited money from the insurance company I was on a time crunch to buy a car before tour because it would be nice for my mom to have to run errands here and there during the summer. Plus my parents were kind enough to offer to pay the two car payments I'd miss on tour to help me out. I quickly decided on a 95 Mazda Protege (I still have this car and I LOVE it) and purchased it. So I drive my brand new car for about a week and then fly from home in Southern California to Denver for all-days and leave the car in the care of my mother. Fast forward 2 1/2 months and I come home from tour to my brand new car that now has OVER 4000 MILES on it!!!!!!! Are you kidding me?!?!?!?!?!? What errands did she run exactly? More than a couple of Baja 1000 races? According to her she just took "my cousins and little brother to Disneyland a couple of times and took maybe a trip or two to Vegas." Even THAT doesn't add up to 4000 miles. I later found out from family and friends that the trips to Vegas were much more than a "trip or two" that she had stated. She had no idea why I was so upset. All she could say was that she helped out with two payments so it shouldn't be a problem. The icing on the cake was finding out I had to have the brakes on my 3-month-old car replaced as soon as I got back. My mom used to drive fire engines and I swear she still thinks all the vehicles she's driving have lights and sirens on it. She's horrible on brakes. Aside from this "incident" (I'm still incredibly bitter. Can you tell? ) my parents were very supportive of corps and came to at least one show if we were on the West Coast, plus my mom always made tons of chocolate-chip rice crispie treats for the corps whenever she saw us. In fact, she did that for the members of SoCal Dream at the show she came to this year. It was funny. I didn't speak to my parents at all. One year I returned home to find out I didn't have a home -- we had been evicted! And OUCH! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shadow_7 Posted May 25, 2008 Share Posted May 25, 2008 Mine were of the see you in a couple months variety. They didn't send care packages. But I generally got $20 in an envelope at each mail drop. There was one year where they just sort of showed up in Colorado, even though I'd been on tour with a California corps for over a month. They even went to the show that evening. One of maybe four shows they saw out of my five years/seasons of Jr. Corps. One year they did show up for finals week and we drove back the long way. Even took one of the guard members home to Utah. After spending a week or so with my relatives in Colorado. She spent most of her time sewing patches on her corps jacket and stuff. Her dad was real glad to see her when we got to Utah and real appreciative of us delivering him back his daughter. Unfortunately she was someone elses girlfriend in the corps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sideways Posted May 25, 2008 Share Posted May 25, 2008 They divorced and sold the house. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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