When the bandleader found that out, and that he had quit high school, he would tell Jack it was time to move on. Jack was waiting for the tap on the shoulder, and then what? Meanwhile, he concentrated on learning as much as he could, thinking he might join the Navy Band. When the All-Whites wheeled left, he marched in place for six paces, knees high, left foot turning fifteen points of the compass with each step. On right wheels he marched double time, twelve long paces, eyes right, keeping the line straight. Try doing that without moving the trombone or blowing air through the side of your mouth. Try moving the slide out to seventh position without hitting the marcher in front of you. You had to concentrate. You couldn’t do it if you were thinking about being kicked out of the band, so he didn’t.They were called the All-Whites because of their white uniforms: hats, tunics, trousers, even their shoes. Privately, they called themselves the All-Whites because there were no coloureds in the band, not exactly by design or decree, it just turned out that way, as everything always did in Windsor.
