Oct 1981:
The first two Field Shows, I dressed in uniform and placed the rifles on the field (our entire Guard all twirled flags at first), then joined my fellow alternates at Parade Rest on the sidelines. The third week, one of the girls injured herself. I suddenly had to learn her entire field placement, plus her 'count', as some of the flag work was alternating. On Saturday, we headed for Chesterton HS, and it rained. We were NOT looking forward to performing on a muddy field; we gals in the Guard had a dance routine to Tuxedo Junction, and at the end, we all dropped in a hurdle stretch. Yeah, this was not going to be fun.....
Going up, I discovered one of the trumpet players liked me. I was thrilled to have male attention, so we talked the entire way. One of my friends J started teasing us about being 'married', since I helped K with his uniform and he helped me with mine. I also got a secret thrill; I knew K would be watching from the sidelines, and I was now the third flag from the front. Part of our dance routine included turning slowly around and shaking our asses at the audience. I would now be 'dancing' for a potential boyfriend!
Before we took the field, the rain slowed to sprinkles. We marched onto the field; the weather cleared. One moment of humor: At the end of Tuxedo Junction, when our Color Guard dropped into a synchronized hurdle stretch, there was a collective 'PLOP' as we all landed in-you guessed it- MUD!
Ever try to maintain your dignity while marching off the field when your backside is cold, wet, and you can feel mud oozing into your underwear?
( We won Best General Effect that day, on top of other awards! We always won Inspection, Percussion, and sometimes Best Color Guard)
Anyway, after struggling out of uniform and into dry clothes, K and I walked around while we waited for the awards, and got to know each other better. And had a great time joking around. As time grew nearer to leave, I noticed K and J 'in conference' a lot. I asked what was going on; K said he'd tell me later. So I waited. And on the way home, he asked me to be his girlfriend. My sense of humor kicked in after I accepted..."So does this mean we're no longer 'married'?"
Our final competition was State on Halloween that year. We didn't place in the top ten, so we only had to perform once. And this was the first Halloween I didn't dress in costume and go around the neighborhood. But my sister had taken two bags with her and handed me one later that night.
"I told the neighbors you were gone and couldn't trick-or-treat. K and I joked your costume was a realistic Invisible Man'."
What are some of your childhood Halloween memories?
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