Chapter 21: Disney, ASTA and Band Camp

Back To Disney and Daytona

EPCOT LogoI remember 1983 as one of the most fun and happy summers of my life up until that point.

There were so many fun things happening, and great places to go. This would include our Disney/Daytona vacation, ASTA, the county fair, and Band Camp. I also enjoyed having Mona living with us, and we hung out just like sisters.

Late in June, I went on the Tractor-Trailer with Dad. At the end of the day we drove to Fairfield to pick up my cousin Peter, after having dinner with Aunt Maryann.

musicnotes-tiny“Too Shy” by Kajagoogoo

Kajagoogoo – Too Shy

Peter (who’d just lost his dad, Uncle Johnny the previous year) went with us to Disney World.

Disney '83
Dig those socks!

This time, the ’76 Coupe DeVille took us 5 down to the Sunshine State, and there was another park to take in, EPCOT (Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow).

Now Steve had a boy his own age to romp with on a vacation, and romp they did … all the way down I-95, through Disney’s theme parks, River Country and Daytona Beach. Naturally, Dad (the terminal “boy”) encouraged their antics. Mom and I rolled our eyes and pursued the “sophisticated” route.

There were a couple of days when Dad and the boys hung around the rides at the Magic Kingdom while Mom and I absorbed all the cool scientific stuff at EPCOT. Our favorites were Spaceship Earth, World of Motion, Innoventions and the World Showcase. We meandered around enjoying all of the treats and sights of the attractions on our Girls’ days out.

The infamous pillow fight
The infamous pillow fight

Steve and Peter had a pillow fight in the Days Lodge furnished apartment, and Dad caught it all on the movie camera. He also joined in the fight, at which Mom and I were not in the least surprised.

Peter became defending champ for several years following. (If they attempted this today, there wouldn’t be an intact pillow in the joint.)

Following the stay in Orlando was a week at Daytona, at the Americano Beach Lodge, where we stayed in 1976.

Dad, Steven and Peter were just as wacky there and were goofing on some guy they saw in the elevator, nicknamed “The Ghoul” the entire time. I remember sitting on poolside lounge chairs with Mom, shaking our heads as the boys ran around (with Dad) gallivanting.

Space Mountain
Nobody loved Space Mountain more than I did.

We also caught the Firecracker 400 NASCAR race at the Daytona Speedway. It was hot, it was noisy and my brother was in his glory.

Music from the era of that Disney trip include Michael Sembello’s Maniac, Too Shy by Kajagoogoo, Time (Clock of the Heart) by Culture Club, and Our House by Madness.

This was the summer when my ex, Mike S, began showing interest again. Though we met a few times at the fence like before it was completely superficial and there was clearly no future. His actions confused me; he knew I was dating now but for some reason seemed to want to hang on somehow.

Regardless, I would sneak outside during the night, past Mona, who smiled mysteriously and, like a cool “big sister,” never blew the whistle.

Disney '83 Cape Canaveral
Cape Canaveral

Going out with guys and drumming were now a permanent part of my life. I know I should have shown Mike the door, but whatever. If he was suddenly okay with this drummergirl, a little no-ties messing around was fine by me.

I again went to ASTA in August, and then later in the month band camp was a BLAST. We had a new percussion instructor, one 20-year-old Mark C. with chops of steel.

He drove us drummers to our potential, working up that season’s drum feature, Dennis DeLucia’s Cachaca with slick snare riffs and visuals, and I can still play it today.

Mark was a taskmaster, which I didn’t mind. I admired him for his talent.

The bridge of the Cachaca piece involved our four basses kneeling and rolling forward on their drums, balancing on their heads. That was a crowd-pleaser.

My mother, a die-hard band parent, was a chaperone, and also our cabin mother. All my friends just thought she was the best. Mom achieved the impossible—being there when necessary, but ducking out when we kids needed to be kids.

She was so cool that one night during camp, we all got up around 3 AM to TP Gordon T’s cabin.

Marching Band Mom

Mom knew darn well where we were headed, and she pretended to be asleep.

The next morning, our band director awoke to rolls upon rolls of the stuff hanging outside. (I now pity the employees who ended up having to clean it all up.)

One of the twirlers’ bras was hoisted up the flagpole, and every staff member was dumped in the lake. Classic.

Thursday night was the talent show. A bunch of us got together with a skit “I don’t wanna grow up … I’m a marching band kid”, a parody of the Toys ‘R Us jingle at the time. We also did another skit with our own verses to the “Oompa Loompa” song from Willy Wonka. What fun we had.

Our cabin, with the best mom ever
Our cabin, with the best mom ever

At Last … Senior Year!

As senior year started, I was dating a guy named John G. We met through Anne and her boyfriend, Joe P. Joe and John both attended St. Joe’s in Metuchen.

We double-dated a lot, and John and I hung out ourselves quite a bit. He took me to Roosevelt Park to see a play, Brigadoon. When it got chilly he gave me his jacket. John G got me the 45 of a song I liked (and that reminded me of him), Just Be Good To Me by the SOS Band, and wore “Chaz” after-shave.

I was beginning to really get into him when I discovered that he’d apparently been waiting for me to “give it up”. He promptly got it from some girl one weekend while visiting his sister at the University of Delaware. That was it for gigolo G.

A sophomore mellophone player named Randy was then interested in me, and he had these laser-like electric-blue eyes. Like most horn players, he was a great kisser. He ended up playing mad bass in a rock band years later.

Another soph named Dave and I saw each other for a while … and so continued my life at EBHS.

musicnotes-tiny“Dead Giveaway” by Shalamar

Shalamar – Dead Giveaway

A nice junior named Paul was interested in me briefly.

We went on a date to a hot tub party at Steve W.’s house one night and watched MTV. (Paul and I would remain friends, and he ended up Best Man at my wedding years later as a close friend of my fiancé.)

Some guy Dennis kissed me by the back door to the stage, and a guy named Jon and I retreated to the Drama Department’s prop closet for a little between-class fooling around. A friend of mine, Jim, whispered to me that his younger brother Josh had a crush on me but was intimidated for some reason; guess he was shy. He never did approach me though.

A really sweet guy named Henry was interested in me too but I was with Dave at the time.

A shot from Anne's "Luau" party
Gary, Kristin and Dave at  Anne’s “Luau”

This would also be my final high school marching band season; I had applied for admission at West Virginia but there was no guarantee I’d make the obscenely-competitive Drumline.

Therefore, this year carried a marked sentimentality for me.

I soaked up being a snare drummer with the EBHS Bear Band, playing my heart out and earning props from Mark the drum instructor.

At our final home game of the season, I stepped forward on the field with the other graduating seniors to receive applause and recognition from the stands.

I got my “letter” for Band, which Mom sewed on my jacket.

Happily posing as an EBHS drummer
Happily posing as an EBHS drummer

I was jealous to hear that next year’s band was going to perform in Florida again. I would be long gone by then (and at the time, I had no idea I would be flying to Houston, TX to a bowl game with WVU’s Mountaineer Marching Band).

We had to turn in our band instruments, and with trepidation I placed my beloved snare drum back in the case, and onto the shelf in the band room it went, awaiting next year’s lucky player.

I didn’t want to leave behind the parades and competitions—we’d done local civic ceremonies, performed in expositions such as the Rutgers Band Festival, and Tournament of Bands competitions.

We took Best Percussion in the South Brunswick event, thanks to Mark’s instruction plus a slick move where the 4 bass drummers rolled forward onto their heads and we snares did some stick snaps during the bridge of Cachaca.

I closed the case on the silver Ludwig field snare forever.

Popular music from fall of senior year was One Thing Leads to Another by The Fixx, Delirious by Prince, Suddenly Last Summer by the Motels, PYT by Michael Jackson, Say It Isn’t So by Hall and Oates, Ain’t Nobody by Rufus and Chaka Khan, and Owner of a Lonely Heart by Yes.

musicnotes-tiny“One Thing Leads To Another” by The Fixx

The Fixx – One Thing Leads To Another

A Little PDQ Bach

At the start of my senior year, I was asked if I was interested in joining the school’s elite vocal group, Concert Choir. I thought it would be fun to try it, and I sang Alto all year.

EBHS Concert Choir
EBHS Concert Choir at Woodbridge Center

We performed at the Woodbridge Center Mall around Christmas.

I also had a solo on stage to begin Dona Nobis Pacem while the rest of the choir processed up the side aisles holding electric candles. We also sang at a couple of local competitions.

I recall how Miss Nelson used to sit at her desk at lunch, eating little slices of cheese and Triscuit while she talked to students who stopped by.

Mom had her ups and downs health-wise during this school year. She often wore a stiff foam neck brace for support because her vertebrae were so ravaged by the effects of chemo. She tossed aside the wig as her hair began to re-grow, and it came in patches of fuzzy brown. She used to joke that it was a new “Punk style.”

Rustler Steak HouseI got my first part-time job that fall, at PJ Maxwell, a clothing store in the Mid-State Mall on Route 18. I worked after school and Saturdays to save for college and for a little spending money for myself as well. When they let me go after the holiday rush, I was genuinely surprised, not having been aware of seasonal demand for help.

I then applied at the Rustler Steak House, bussing tables and working the drinks line, which I enjoyed a lot. My coworkers and I would grab a piece of cheesecake and wolf it down in the big freezer.

I was then working at Chi-Chi’s, doing cold prep the following spring, under manager Tom Boylan. I made chili rellenos, “fried” ice cream, salsa, seafood enchiladas, and other things.  I was surprised that the “hot” salsa was actually made with water and powder! Where were the fresh tomatoes? I was also directed to operate the “buffalo chopper” to shred the imitation crabmeat for the seafood enchiladas, even though I wasn’t 18 yet.

Chapter 22: Milestones

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2 Replies to “Chapter 21: Disney, ASTA and Band Camp”

  1. As one of the four “rolling bass drum players” I remember “Cachaca” fondly!

    1. You, Dave, Grant and Doug MADE Cachaca! lol My mother always loved that part. 😎

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