Moving Day
June 3rd, 2018. A day that I will not soon forget. Brennan and I were playing Super Smash Bros. for Wii U when our parents called us both downstairs. They both seemed a little uneasy as we sat down in the living room. Then came the news, we were moving. My mom and dad have been trying to move to Massachusetts for a while at that point(we even moved once before, but had to move back due to the government shutdown of 2013). At first I didn’t know what to think. I just zoned out of reality and made my way upstairs with nothing much more than an “ok”. I sat down in my room and that’s where I lost it. I had lived in Ohio my entire life; it was the only place I knew. Brennan didn’t take the news lightly either and immediately called his best friend, Jaden, to tell him the news we had just heard.
A couple months went by, and we slowly began packing up our belongings. Our house had been up for sale for this time, but there were no takers yet. I ignored moving for the most part and focused my attention on school, band, and video games. Band had been going especially well as we had two of the three movements, or parts, already on the field; all we needed to do was some cleaning. My grades in school were at a steady A to A- level and I was having a blast anticipating the next Smash Bros. game.
Around the beginning of September, people began being interested in buying our house. Several times a week we had to stay a couple hours at my great aunt’s house while people looked at the place. At the same time my parents were looking for houses up in Massachusetts. They did consult with Brennan and I as they wanted us to have some say in what school we would be transferring to. At the time I couldn’t care less, but now I appreciate them for that. Brennan picked out South Hadley, and after checking it out myself, I agreed. So while my parents looked for places in South Hadley, I kept my attention elsewhere.
Band was going amazing! Our show was about the U.S.S. Arizona and the United States’ introduction into WWII. I played bass drum and Brennan played snare. We spent a lot of time learning new exercises, cleaning the show, and learning visuals. I was having the time of my life during rehearsals, football games on Fridays, and during our competitions. I can proudly say we were able to win the best percussion award at every competition we went to! Then it happened. Our house was sold on October 8th.
While our house was in the process of being sold to its new owner, my parents began attempting to buy the new house. Brennan and I became worried because we were supposed to go with the band to Bands of America that year. In case you don’t know what that is, it is a nation wide band competition that you apply and get accepted into attending. The competition takes place in Lucas Oil Stadium, the Colts’ field! Our band was scheduled to play on November 8th, but the competition lasts several days. After talking with our parents, they agreed to let us stay in Ohio until after the competition!
Brennan and I spent the remainder of October with our great aunt, which felt strange. We still went to school, to band, and played video games, but it felt weird coming “home” to her house every night. Nonetheless we were excited for BOA, despite what would follow it. We worked hard over the next month to prepare for it. Then came the competition. The final time I would perform with my childhood friends. After we finished the performance I took it all in, the lights, the crowd, and then my friends. Tears found their way around my eyelids as we promptly exited off of the field. We returned to our trailer and began packing equipment. Once that was over the drumline and I circled around our techs, Bryce and Guthrie, and we talked for quite a while. Emotions flew around and we got to discover who was or wasn’t an ugly crier. Once we gathered ourselves together we got ready for a couple days of shows. After all that was said and done came time for Brennan and I to leave.
The night before we left, our friend Katie invited us over. We have been to her house before and assumed it would be a regular get together and not much of a farewell party. I know, I know, Brennan and I aren’t that bright. Anyway when we arrived we were greeted with our band friends, and some of our gaming friends that were invited as well. The night was full of fun, food, games, and some more emotions. They gave us a gift as well; a Nintendo Switch copy of Starlink and a framed photo of us taken at band camp back in July. Katie drove us back to my aunts, and we slept not so nice for one more night. The next morning we got up early and set off to Massachusetts.
Sound Cloud Link: https://soundcloud.com/patrick-mcgrevy/digital-story-telling-file-for-moving-day
