My mallet bag is gone.

Vanished. Disappeared. Absent. Departed. I’m not pointing any fingers, but I think someone took it. Hopefully not on purpose, though, for their sake.

Of all the days for it to disappear, why today? Why on the same day of mock All- Region auditions? I’ve been working relentlessly on that All- Region music for months, and now I have no way to actually play it. What am I supposed to do, hit the drums with my hands? I literally had it the entire class period. I was using it. The. Entire. Time. And then, boom, right before the bell rang, it vanished. I had to get a pass to my next class because I spent a good ten minutes trying to find it. I swear, if someone hid it from me on purpose, there will be blood.

Imagine trying to play a trumpet without a mouthpiece.

Yeah.

After getting a pass to class and storming dramatically out of the band hall, I encountered someone I’m not going to name. They asked me where I was headed, and I held up my pass while my friend told them. As I was walking away, they sharply informed me that I had not answered their question so I turned back around and told them. Apparently, I had brushed them the wrong way, because they told me to “lose the attitude”.

Okay. All due respect, but I just lost my mallet bag. With all of my mallets and drumsticks inside of it. That’s very similar to losing a limb. Or a loved one. So I apologize if I’m not the happiest person in the world right now. Try cutting your arm off and still trying to be happy. Then we’ll talk.

Maybe I just misplaced it. Maybe someone accidentally took it. Maybe someone stole it. Maybe, but I don’t think so. I think someone hid it from me. I think someone is trying to get a reaction out of me.

If that’s the case, then congratulations. It worked.