Papa g is/was probably the most influential teacher I have ever had. He was that one teacher to me. He is the one person that I can probably credit with morphing me into the person I became in high school to be melded later in college. I spent more time with him than any other teacher with band and aiding and such and that probably contributed to it. He was firm yet allowing. I got away with so much crap I probably shouldn't have in his room. It was the one place in the school I could go to to feel at home and relaxed.
The school's band program owe pretty much everything to him nowadays and I hope beyond anything that they realize it. Papa is a kind, firm, sometimes temperamental teacher that is the perfect blend of young and fun yet older and knowledgeable that works for teens in high school and junior high. He's not an old fuddy duddy yet which makes him seem that much more connectible to a high school mind. It's not as weird talking about teen things around him since we didn't have to explain every little thing to him. He still remembered what it's like being a child in school and understood us. He also knew the destruction I was capable of and kept me in line more often than not.
Band was the best part of my day because of Papa. I couldn't get enough of that class. His keen sense of music choices, his sadistic ways of abusing his conducting powers just to prove a point and make sure we were watching him, the way he'd whip out his iphone like it had the answer to everything. The way he'd make me do all his errands no matter what period it was just because he could. Which is is kind of jerky now that I think about it. But whatever.
Papa, raising a glass to you. Never change.
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