Brandon Gourley

A high school friend of mine posted in facebook the other day that she could remember an exercise routine that our gym teacher had taught us to a Lionel Richie song.  I don't remember this.  I barely remembered the name of the teacher and without her saying it I can guarantee you I would not have been able to pull that out of long term memory.  Isn't it funny the stuff you remember?  After reading my friends post I sat there trying to see what I could remember of my middle school/ high school days and it really isn't that much.  A few tidbits here and there but otherwise...nada.  The stuff I do remember is completely random and honestly if someone were to remember me for something positive more than 25 years later I would want to know.


Brandon Gourley.  Handsome. Blonde. Quarterback of the football team.  I knew him but we weren't besties or anything.  Everyone knew Brandon he was very popular.  I was the quirky band girl that was more popular at church than I ever was at school. 

One lovely fall Saturday evening we had a band competition in Oak Ridge, Tennessee.  There was a beautiful girl named Lori French that was a majorette for the band and Brandon liked her, or dated her, or wanted to date her, again...not good with the memory stuff.  Anyway, Brandon came to our band competition with several other football players and watched us perform.  This was huge!  How many friday nights had we sat in the rain and cold and supported our football boys and now here they were supporting us. 

I want to say that the cynical side of me is sitting here thinking their intentions were probably not so valiant but back then it was a beautiful gesture. 

I remember that vividly.  I can remember the news that some of the football team was there to cheer for us going through the band like wildfire.  I am guessing that those football boys were just looking for something to do on a Saturday night and don't even remember that it happened, but I do.  Vividly, and that is saying something because I don't remember much. 

Brandon Gourley didn't know me.  He probably didn't even know I was there that night.  He was there to see Lori and to him that was the end of the story, but my interpretation of him and other members of the football team simply showing up made a lifelong lasting impression on me. 

Go out.  Do kind things.  You never know who is watching.