The Blue Hat Band

Billy Cole’s parents shouting shook the houses foundations. The 

vibrations traveled up Billy’s bed and then to his small head where they 

converged in his mind and made him shake. His parents had been doing 

this more often now, this fighting thing, and he had no other ways to 

understand the scenario except for one possibility. Perhaps they simply 

hated each other, and in some ways he was right with this assumption. 

He had been locked in his room by his mother so that he would not have 

to interfere with their “discussion” or at least that’s what she called it. 

He was incredibly bored and frightened as he attempted to fall asleep but 

the relief of exhaustion never came. Just then, as an answer to his agony 

a small high sound came from the closet. He recognized this sound as 

one of a symbol crashing down from some place high and down onto the 

floor. He only knew of one place where such a symbol instrument could 

be found. 

Cautiously, he slipped out of his covers and down to the floor. He took a 

few small and silent steps to the closet on the right side of the room and 

opened it. Inside was a toy he had long forgotten. It was a toy band that 

would play songs if you had the right amount of batteries. The band 

consisted of an assortment of anthropomorphic plastic animals, some 

cats, some dogs, some foxes, and even a few bears. They were each 

accompanied by a blue and gold uniform with tiny plastic instruments in 

each of their paws. It had ever instrument you needed for a coherent 

band, tubas, drums, trumpets, even some violins and much more. In 

front of them all was a gray cat who held a tiny stick high above his 

head. The conductor. The symbol must have come from one of these 

animals and sure enough one of the dogs was indeed missing one. As he 

was staring at the missing symbol he noticed movement in the corner of 

his eye. Then another swift movement and another. Soon the movements 

went to fast for his brain to identify and just like that the band had come 

to life. It had happened in a flash like a reawakening each small animal 

was now cleaning their instruments and moving around casually. Billy 

could only shout in his excitement. 

“You’re alive?!” He exclaimed. 

The gray cat of the band turned to him and waved, a small grin spread 

across his face. It was a friendly grin like they had known each other 

before. 

“Of course we are, Billy, you just haven’t noticed.” The cat said in a 

soothing and confident voice. 

“But…you’re plastic!” 

“And you are made of flesh…to us you’re the weird one.” 

Each of the animals mumbled in agreement. 

“What are you doing in my bedroom closet?”

“We were brought here by your mother as I recall. We used to play 

songs for you Billy. Sorry if we awoke you our clumsy paws can’t hold 

onto instruments forever, especially without proper glue.” 

Billy remembered many times playing songs. Those were happy times 

when mother and father didn’t fight as much. He remembered when he 

made that project in school about his parents being the only one together 

while all his classmates were apart. He had made a cute drawing of the 

three living happily on top of a sunny mountain in a healthy green field. 

His mother had put it on the refrigerator. 

“Are you magic?” Billy asked. 

“Magic?!” The conductor cat exclaimed “No more magic then you are. 

Say isn’t it bedtime for you?”

“Umm…yes…but I can’t sleep very well.” 

“Ah, I see would you like us to help you with that?”

“Can you play a song?”

“Yes of course we can! That’s what we were made for. What kind of 

song would you like?”

“A happy song.” 

“Those are the best kind.” 

The cat conductor turned to his band and raised his paw with the stick. 

He brought it down and the band began to play its tune. 

It was a wonderful sound, he would have thought they would play 

something noises and out of tune but the song was actually soothing and 

up beat in every way. Billy found that in no time at all he was feeling 

sleepy. He felt like a baby again, playing with his toys and sleeping in 

his mother’s warm hands. The band played every note in rhythm and 

accuracy. The song was light and cheerful with the sounds of violins 

some slight drumming and a few trumpets. In no time at all he was 

asleep. 

About three hours into the night the fighting had erupted again. The 

father and mother had become violent. Some mysterious thud shook the 

house. The cat conductor was a smart person and had a duty to uphold. 

If Billy heard the commotion he would have a miserable night. He 

instructed his band to play again, perhaps a little louder. 

“Tonight is his last restful night gentlemen. Make it peaceful.” 

Here was the truth. Billy Cole did not have a happy early childhood. For 

the longest time his parents had despised each other and his birth only 

accelerated his hatred. His mother did love him but she did not have 

many chance to show it. The band had been there the entire time. When 

Billy’s life was full of the chaotic noises of hatred and anger they were 

replaced with the happy and soothing rhythms of the band. They had 

been there to protect him through all of his development. They referred 

to themselves as the innocence protectors assigned to this little boy. 

Boys do not stay children forever oh how horribly true that is. For 

tonight is the last night to have a happy night. To have one last night of 

peace and cheerfulness. The band played their happy song but were 

filled with sadness for what Billy would discover tomorrow morning. 

For now Billy was happy and sleeping well. Tomorrow that would 

change. The band had to play their song just a little louder to muffle out 

the sound of the gunshot that erupted from downstairs.