A missed Opportunity

Ian McLellan, the Scottish lad from upstairs asks us if we are interested to go with him to the Folk Club in Ann Street. He loves folk music and we go along. It’s opposite the Canberra Hotel, down a narrow lane way, very dim and dark and has a small stage in the corner. No alcohol is served but Ian is friendly with Stan, from the Wayfarers, a band that performs every night at the Folk Centre. Stan sounds Irish and in their break, beckons Ian, Ben and myself to follow him. We go down the road, to the Crest Hotel public bar and drown a few pots of beer, before returning back to the Folk Centre.

There is a Big Band formation performing when we return. They are very good. We get to know them after they perform. Before I left Thun, I was playing in the local Big Band 'The Modernaires', named after the singing quartet  that used to accompany the Glenn Miller band in the 40s.

Me, second from left on trumpet in the 'Modernaires'

 The trumpet player of the band tonight, finds out that I play the trumpet too and have played in a Big Band in Switzerland. He tells me that they are a trumpet short and he invites me to come along next Monday night to their band rehearsal. They rehearse at the ABC Studios at Toowong and I’m very excited but worried about my lack of fluency in English. But I am interested to go along, so Ian takes me to Palings Music Store in Queen Street and I buy myself a trumpet.

Monday comes and I am nervous. I ask Ben to come along with me but he is not interested in music and refuses. In the end I chicken out and don’t go either. I am very sorry about that decision later on, I just know. 


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