A Jazz great lost or why I dropped band

In sixth grade I wanted to play the drums, turns out every boy in sixth grade wants to play the drums. I didn't make the cut, and it was suggested that I take up the tuba. I suspected then, as I do now that this was asked of me because I was tall, and they figured I could schlep the tuba around.

Since I could think of no cool examples of tuba playing, I dropped band. I couldn't imagine making the tuba cool.
'Dexter is blowin' Tube'
'a Kind of Tuba'
'Minter Tubas swinging songs for young lovers'

As for the current charts of the time, pretty much only sax would do. A tuba player was probably kicked out of Quarterflash early on, and rightly so.

Instead I took a class called home economics, which was a bit of a misnomer. It had very little to do with economics and a lot to do with cooking. This was a genius move since the class was mostly girls and we got to eat the nachos we made. They also taught me how to sew, well sort of, I doubt I remember much now.


Now 100 years later I wish I'd learned an instrument, but I don't regret taking a pass on the tuba. Besides you never know when I'll decide to make some little pizzas or nachos in the toaster oven.