Friday, September 14, 2012

A Special Performance

If you haven't figured it out yet, music is a big part of my life. It's something I actually had to fight to keep involved with. Not in a "Fight Club" kind of way, but there was a period of time where it would have been very easy to cut my losses and say farewell to being involved in any form of music aside from iPods and youtube videos. Lucky for all of us, MTV has taken the steps to remove it from television.  Aww....poor VJ's....remember VJ's?

About a year after we moved to Idaho, I went to the local Highland Games. If you've never heard of a Highland Games, feel free to consider that normal. It's a Scottish festival consisting of music, food, dancing, and the actual games (yes, one of the events is where they throw the big stick). It's a great time, and a place where no one looks at you funny for wearing a kilt. A rare thing indeed. It was there that I happened upon the Boise Highlanders, a very established bagpipe band here in Idaho. Here's where things get, well, slightly insulting. In a way.

I'm a drummer. In the most loosely formed sense of that word. I don't consider myself amazing to watch. I've had almost no real training. What I know has been gleaned from years of being in contact with people who are better at this craft than I will ever be. I'm okay with it. Is that the insult? Nope!

When I saw the Highlanders for the first time I looked at Melissa and said, "I could play with those guys."

It's not that they are bad or anything, but particularly from a drumming standpoint they do things to be on the easier side. We play slightly basic bagpipes tunes, and we do it as well as we can. We even have fans! It's been an amazing experience so far, truly.

Along we our fans, certain organizations have become very attached to having us perform for them. Which brings me to a story that leads to a very special performance this weekend.

Every year we are invited to perform at a festival in Ontario, Oregon. It's called "America's Global Village Festival" and from an entertainment standpoint, the Highlanders are certainly a main attraction. This year I was unable to attend to due to some things we needed to do with the boys, and perhaps someone was looking out for me and my family.

Horrible.

Barely into the performance this year, a little punk kid and his cousin, who were high on god knows what, jumped the curb onto the grass in their car and drove directly into the grand stands.

Let me say that again. They drove into a crowd of people with their car. Smashing a section of stairs that sent metal shards flying, hitting a member of the band, and pinning a THREE YEAR OLD BOY, between the car and bleachers. A 91 year old woman was hit. No deaths, but once all the counts and recounts were finished, almost 30 people ended up in the hospital. Most with minor injuries, 3 severe, one enough to be air-lifted to a larger hospital.

The driver was laughing and smiling during, and after, this terrifying ordeal. Laughing. While a 3 year old boy cried for help.

His passenger attempted to get out and simply walk away. He was "placed" back into the car and kept there by a member of the band. Two other members of the band, who are police officers, ran and shut off the engine to the car, taking the keys, and began to move the car back so people could get free.

The park is located directly across the street from the local hospital and first responders were there in minutes. Lots of luck that day.


This weekend the Boise Highlanders are putting on a free concert, at the same park, in the same location. While it's open to anyone, we have made attempts to ensure that those involved with the crash have been invited. As well, the city will be honoring the first responders.

I don't put this information out there to brag about the group, though clearly while we may be small, we have some amazing people involved. I want to put out an invite to anyone reading who might be in the area, and perhaps one of those reminders that we all need from time to time.

A three year old boy...that's William. The bleachers...that's where Melissa and the boys would have been, no doubt about it. Think of it as circumstance, luck, divine intervention...whatever you want. The point is that you never know what might happen next. Hug your babies.

For the concert: It starts at 3pm at Lion's Park in Ontario, Oregon. If you find yourself close enough, and have the time, I hope you'll come out and support not only the police and medical units involved, but the people and families hurt by this.

I don't know what will become of the driver or his passenger, and I wish I didn't care. After hearing several people describe the face and the laughter from the driver, and the look on the face of the little boy before the car hit the stands...

...hug your babies.


1 comment:

  1. Always count your blessing and know you are truly blessed! It makes you hold your family a little tighter and love them a little more.

    I am nominating your blog for the Liebster Award http://www.dadblunders.com/2012/09/15/liebster-award/

    Aaron

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