The previous evening,
a Friday,
the snow had started and wouldn't stop
until well into the next day,
when about two feet had fallen
Most roads in the area were impassable
because the snowplow crews couldn't clear the snow
as fast as it was falling,
though
somehow I was able to make to work this day
(At the time,
I had an essential occupation,
firefighter/paramedic,
so
staying away from the job wasn't an option,
nor,
once there,
could there be such a thing as an impassable road)
Cleveland State's men basketball tea,m
was playing in the Horizon League Tournament's
semi-final round that day;
they had gone to the site (Indianapolis)
a day or two earlier,
so
they had not been affected by the storm
The pep band,
however,
was scheduled to bus there the day of the game
Because of the extreme snowfall
the band never made it to their destination,
didn't even attempt to get there,
content to stay safe and warm at school
and watch the game on television
Except
for a lone enterprising trumpet player
who hopped in his car and slogged through the snow
to the game at the famed Hinkle Fieldhouse,
five hours away on a good day
And
he gave the announcers calling the game
a great human-interest story,
and
was rewarded with far more TV time
than he ever would have gotten
playing as part of the band
I don't remember the score of the game,
though I know Cleveland State lost,
nor
do I recall if the lone trumpet player
actually played any songs solo;
I just remember the fact of the lone trumpet player,
the stuff legends are made of-------
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