Dave Myers is the TarheelinNashville

I never really understood why our marching band’s signature song for 1991/92 was ‘Georgia On My Mind’. Our fight song always has been ‘Scotland the Brave’, and has been since my father played in the marching band in the early sixties. However when it came time to be put on a national stage, the school’s band director chose to feature the song that had been getting the strongest response during various competitions and all of our home football games. It seemed strange to me that my rural NC high school chose to perform the State Song from another state. That being said, when Janet Stubbs played her trumpet solo and the rest of the band followed with the powerful crescendo on the Ray Charles classic… It gave the audience chills, and made them long for Rhett and Scarlett, ripe peaches, and a freshly bloomed Magnolia.

Every home football game the marching band is introduced as “The Pride of Scotland County”, and on Thanksgiving 1991, they more than lived up to their name. I am sure every television set in Laurinburg was locked on NBC that morning to see friends and family members march down Times Square in their plaid kilts and Scottish uniforms. The Myers household was no different.
The smell of turkey, dressing, string bean casserole, and numerous other Turkey Day offerings filled the house. My family gathered around our 25 inch console television to watch SHS marching band perform. My Grandparents were there, as well as my Aunt Janice and Uncle Randall. All of my cousins were there too, so we had a house full trying to find space on the couch and love seat to see the band. When they finally were shown performing, we all started naming off familiar faces.

“Isn’t that the Kurzenski girl that lives a few blocks over?”
“Look.. there is Janet Stubbs, she’s such a pretty girl.”
I enjoyed seeing all of my friends and classmates on TV. The sense of pride I had for my school as well as my community could not be measured. I do have to admit, there was one particular girl I was looking for more than others. As I studied the TV looking for her.. My mother asked me a question.

“Which one is that Biel girl you keep talking about?”
Embarrassed that she called me out in front of the entire family, I tried to act like I didn’t know what she was talking about.
“Who are you talking about?” I said softly, the way teenagers do when they don’t want to talk about something.
“The girl I keep hearing you talk to Tater and Jason about.. The one that was in your science class in 9th grade”.
“Whats her name? Jessica, Mandy.. something…”
“Megan. Her name is Megan Alba Biel” I said, without thinking about the interrogation that was to follow.

Like in so many other small towns across the country, when someone new and unknown is brought up in conversation, everyone involved starts to play ‘6 Degrees of Separation (in a small town)’.

“I don’t know any Biel’s. What are her Parents names?” My Father chimed in.
“Um.. I don’t know.”
“Does she have any brothers or sisters?” My cousin Sandy asked.
“I think she has a Sister”. I responded
“What was her Mother’s maiden name?”
“How am I suppose to know that?” I asked.
“What does her Daddy do for a living?” My uncle asked.
“I don’t know”. I answered increasingly frustrated with the way the conversation was going.
“For you to like somebody so much for so long, you sure don’t know a lot about her” my Mother said jokingly. I didn’t want to admit it, but the lady had a point. I felt my blood pressure start to rise in both embarrassment and frustration. Then my Aunt Janice asked the question that I knew was coming…..

“Honey, if you like her so much, why don’t you just ask her out?”

“SERIOUSLY… I’m trying to listen to the band on TV!” I responded, trying to get the subject changed or avoided totally, but they were on a roll and wouldn’t let up.

“Does she have a boyfriend?” My cousin Sandy asked.
“No, she just broke up with him.”
“Well there you go.. ” Sandy added. “You’re single, she’s single… You had better hurry up and ask though, graduation is right around the corner”
“I don’t think Megan Alba Biel is interested in going out with me” I muttered.
“Why not?” A couple of them asked, in what sounded like harmony.
“I don’t exactly fit in with the crowd she hangs out with. She is entirely out of my league” I felt my heart sink a little as I admitted out loud what I had been thinking to myself for years. I felt defeated as I had been grilled by my entire family. A few seconds of silence followed, as my family realized they might have pushed the questions a little too far. Janet had begun her solo in the background as I stared at the floor.
My Grandma, who had been quiet throughout the entire conversation finally spoke up.
“I don’t think you give yourself enough credit. You’re a handsome, nice young man with a good job and a lot to offer. I wish you could see yourself the way we see you. I don’t want to hear you say there is ANYBODY is out your ‘League’. That Biel girl would be lucky to have a young man like you to go out with.. If she can’t see that, then it’s her loss.” My entire family concurred.
I didn’t know what to say. I just remember thinking that Grandma was sweet, but they didn’t understand how things were. They all had lived in a different generation, and things were different now. Guys like me didn’t ask girls like MAB out.

Janet Stubbs had played her final note of “Georgia”, and the parade had moved on to the next float. The subject was dropped and we moved on to eat another delicious Thanksgiving dinner.
My Dad had taped the performance. Later I went back and watched Megan march in time down Times Square. I watched the tape alone, and rewound it a few times just to enjoy the moment, and to see MAB lighting up my television screen. She was just a beautiful as I imagined her to be.
My cousin Sandy had made good point. Graduation was coming quickly, and after that there was no telling if I would ever see MAB again. That made me a little sad, but who knew what the future held?
I also had made a promise to Megan a few weeks before during our impromptu lunch at the BK Lounge that I was going to enjoy my Senior year as much as possible. In the months came afterward.. I did just that. Graduation was coming quickly, and I made the most of the days the were left. From a High School Musical, to Senior Prom, the Senior Talent Show, and finally graduation… every moment left memories too sweet to be erased with time. More about that next time.

Love Y’all
D