|
|
When asked to supply his
biographical information, his first thought was…” They don't tell
you about all this when they recruit you.” [1] But this is what he was
able to come up with…
He was a poor black sharecropper's son who
never dreamed he was adopted. [2] He finally settled in Kansas
City just before the 2nd grade after having lived in Virginia and Colorado.
He started playing trumpet in 5th grade with mixed reactions. His
parents were heard to say….” Breaks my heart to see a boy that
young goin' bad.”[3] while
his friends asked …”Did you eat a lot of paint chips when you
were a kid?” [4] He was a proud member of the Rompin’
Stompin’ Raider Band (Shawnee Mission South
H.S.) as well as virtually every instrumental group at the school. When he
tried vocal music, the choir director told him…”I used to wish I
could sing well!!! Now I wish you could!!!” While at Shawnee Mission
South he had the privilege to perform at Arrowhead for the Chiefs halftime
(back when they had marching bands perform at halftime), as well as Royals
Stadium/Kaufmann Stadium/The “K”, Worlds of Fun Season Open
Celebration, The American Royal Parade, and the pinnacle of his high school
career, a two week trip to Europe to perform with a band made up from SMS and
SMNW members as well as a choir from Hays, KS. While in Europe,
one frauline asked:
“Are you the police?
No ma’am, we’re
musicians!!”[3]
In college, he was a member of the Pride of Wildcatland Marching Band (Kansas State
University) until the
partying…err studying got in the way.
He ultimately graduated with a degree in
Mechanical Engineering and embarked on a varied career which includes stints
as a Quality Engineer for GM, a Product Engineer for an auto parts
manufacturer, manager of an Amoco full service gas station, and a home remodeler/builder.
He is married to his wife of 22 years, Karen
and has two children: Jeff, an aspiring musician (OK, he’s a drummer)
who is a sophomore at U.M.K.C. and Lauren, a sophomore at Liberty High School
who’s two passions in life are band (yeah, another trumpet player) and
horses. He’s anxiously awaiting the time when
he can have the following conversation with one of her admirers…
Buck : Who said anything about that? I thought you might
like to join us for some ice cream. Maybe your Bug here can join us. We can
talk about burying the hatchet. You know what a hatchet is, don't you, Bug?
Bug : It's an
ax?
Buck : Sort of,
yeah, yeah. I got one in my car if you'd like to see
it.
Bug : I'll
pass.
Buck : Fair enough.
I like to carry it, you never know when your going
to need it. A situation may come up say for example, someone has been
drinking, and about to drive a loved one home, then I'd like to know I have
it. Not to kill, no. Just to maim. Take a little off the shoulder. Swish! The
elbow. Slash! Shave a little meat off the old kneecap. Fowap!
Ooooo! You got both kneecaps? I like to keep mine
razor sharp. Sharp enough you can shave with it. Why I've been known to
circumcise a gnat. You're not a gnat are you, Bug? Wait a minute, bug, gnat. Is there a little similarity? Whoa, I think there
is! Ha ha ha. You
understand what I'm talking about? I don't think you do. I'll be right back. Heh heh heh
heh.
[walks away]
Tia : I'm
sorry.
Bug : Look, I
think you'd better split. I don't exactly want him to go berserk with an ax
on me.
Tia : He's all
talk.
[Buck pulls out a small hatchet from his car]
Buck : Here it
is! Come over, come on, I want to show it to you. Maybe later. Okay. [5]
We certainly hope you all enjoy the show. And
remember, people, that no matter who you are and
what you do to live, thrive and survive, there're still some things that
makes us all the same. You. Me.
Them. Everybody. Everybody. [3]
Well, that’s it for Larry’s bio.
He hopes you don’t think it sucked. [6] He and his fellow nerds will
retire to the nerdery with their instruments. [7]
See you bassoon. [8]
Movie Quotes
[1] Drumline 2002
[2] The Jerk 1979
[3] Blues Brothers 1980
[4] Tommy Boy 1995
[5] Uncle Buck 1989
[6] Wayne’s World 1992
[7] (Paraphrased) Tommy Boy 1995
[8] Max Keeble’s
Big Move 2001
|