Goosebump Moments

Daughter had a band banquet last week.  We were asked to bring a salad and there was a cake contest.  My mom use to decorate cakes, sell them.   I use to enjoy playing with her Wilton cake tips and books.  I remember her being stressed out, when hired to do a cake.  Her space was limited, like mine is.  Sounds familiar... 

My daughter assured me I didn't need to do this, but I wanted to.  She came home finding me with eight bowls of frosting,  in rainbow colors and black.  I wanted to make a cake to represent the guard's flag, their program was based on an artist trying to find her muse.  Their show was called, "Bring Me To Life".

Their program was about a depressed artist.  She had painted a rose in black, white n' grey.  Then she found inspiration and painted a Rainbow rose.  The flag didn't have purple, but two shades of blue, Fuchsia pink and black.  What was I thinking?   I don't decorate cakes. I  baked two cakes...the prettiest one would go and the ugly one stay home.

My daughter arrived home from school.   "Angela can you please come help me.  Frost the marble size cake, please.  We will take that one.   Mine isn't coming out right."

        "You are kidding me right" she smirks.

          "No, I'm not...it is terrible. Frost the cake so it looks like a planet, swirl the colors on.  The Tortellini salad is done, we just need to finish a cake."

          Son is headed to work.  "Mom, take it...it really looks like the flag.  You are a perfectionist, so you aren't going to be satisfied, no matter what.  You don't have an air brush.   If you did, then you could replicate it, but you don't."

       
         "Take it"....they yell, laughing.

                                                                             So, I take it.  The room is crowded when we arrive.   I find a seat and wave n' nod, at friends I know.  I am sitting at a table with most of the Guard members. There is music playing in the background.  My mind wanders and I think about earlier in the day, when I was at the post office.  The grandmother of one of the students who had recently died, was ahead of me in line.  The mail clerk was smiling as she said, how sorry she was to hear about her grandson. She couldn't stop smiling and then I heard her laugh.  I wanted to crawl over the counter and smack her.  I know the lady had a nervous reaction, but it appears so insensitive and cold.   I remember the first time I had seen this nervous smile, I was a teenager and it was my Dad's funeral.    I thought of my poem...
               

Death finds you

it  knocks on your door

No one should be 

smiling, right now...

The band director gets up and starts talking.  Everyone is  anxious to get the program underway.  There is a wonderful tribute to the Seniors and more awards are given out. The Drum Leader gets up and leads them in their pre-performance cheer. "Go Blue" is loudly chanted by all!   She is a Senior and there are tears and laughter, as she says her finally chant, a sea of emotions is felt.   My daughter's name is announced, she is the Guard's Captain.  she gets up and receives a big wink and handshake from her Band Director. She was awarded, MVP for Visual Performance.

Then the sum up and now the cake competition.  There are categories, pretty, original and gross.  My name is called and the #5, which is odd, since I was labeled #6. Odd my lucky number is 5!   The other categories are announced and a line forms for cake.

The music gets louder, tunes the band has played at their performances, mixed in with the original scores.  Then Gangnam Style starts playing. The  kids start dancing, from the back of the room to the front.  I sit there  and look around the room... my poem, it happened like in my poem...they danced!  A chill went up my spine and goosebumps break out.  We started out just like the marching band's program.  Our mood was painted black and then the rainbow appeared-they danced!

Now, go

live and dance for those

who can't

Do it

My cake....it looks better from far, far away-