Assignment 19: Sam Clark

Perhaps the best piece of advice ever bestowed upon my grateful figure was to “blow harder.” My middle school band teacher, Mrs. Begley, was a canonized saint, fully endowed with miracle-making abilities. Her simple, yet beautiful, instruction molded the minds of middle school musicians, turning disjointed notes into resounding symphonies. We played all the classics: “Ode to Joy,” “Fanfare to Power,” “Trombones on the Housetop.” Such notes still ring in my ears, reminding me of a time not yet forgotten. The whole school loved Mrs. Begley. We still do. Her cry to “blow harder” grew ever-louder as the years passed, urging us onto greatness. Mrs. Begley’s advice was not just a musical appeal; it was an instruction to try harder, to reach onward into the limitless possibilities.

So yes, Mrs. Begley, I’ll blow harder. I’ll do it just for you.