Elephant

My mind has been drifting back to my time with the Army Band, and how creative and adaptable musicians can be. On one occasion we had to travel overnight by coach, from our base in Germany to Holland. Before any trip, I used to stand at the front of the bus, and go through a verbal kit check. Uniform,Music,Lyres,Instruments etc etc, and even though this was 2am in the morning, the reply would always come back 'Yes Sergeant Major, we have it all'
We then settled back for a 6 hour coach trip. On our arrival in Holland, at an unearthly time of the morning, we were just entering the town we were due to play in, when a young Bandsman came up to me and said ' Sergeant Major. I've forgotten me clarinet' There is a course for Band Sergeant Majors that teaches you a certain way of communicating with problem individuals like this. Basically he was told to jump in a taxi, find the nearest Army/Navy/Air force Base that had a Band, and get back here within 2 hours with a clarinet. Now this long sentence was interspersed with certain phrases that are unprintable here. However, within 2 hours the Bandsman was back, with a borrowed clarinet. he had also been given a meal and a cup of tea , and a lift back with a Danish soldier. Now that's blooming good thinking!