I don’t know if readers are finding these little personal stories amusing or not, but they’re fun to write- so here’s another one; much less profane than the last episode.

My daughter Bailey was about nine years old the day we decided to take a walk downtown on a crisp autumn day in our hometown of Lititz. My wife and I got her and my younger daughter Ally (6) all prepped up and ready for a nice long walk and a stop in the park. I also planned to stop by our local music store to try selling them a cornet I was no longer using.

As a professional musician/trumpet player I have several instruments and recently had upgraded to a better cornet. I knew we would be walking right past the used musical instrument shop on our way home so I decided to bring along the old cornet in hopes of getting some cash for it at the shop. That old horn was not great by professional standards, Bailey had heard me complaining about it several times while practicing on it at home, but it would be good enough for a young student to use. It had plenty of wear on the outside but played fairly well. So we got ourselves together, grabbed the cornet case and the kids and headed out.

On the way back home, we walked past the secondhand music store as we had planned. Ally waited outside with my wife while Bailey came into the store with me. Bailey is extroverted and curious so she was excited to see you what would happen and who she would meet in the shop.

The man running the store came over and I explained that I was looking to sell this old cornet and that it would be nice as a student instrument. The man opened the case and took a look at the horn and from there, the conversation went like this. 

Him: The horn looks like it’s been used pretty heavy over the years. Look at all those scratches.

Bailey: Yeah! My dad says it’s a real piece of junk! 

Me to Bailey: Why don’t you wait outside with mom?

A few minutes later, the man made me an offer I had to refuse, and we all went home; cornet included.

Visit Five O’Clock Shadow and Wise & Shine for more of Todd’s writing, and check out his musical projects at toddfulginiti.com.