The story goes that when Rose’s
Great Aunt Emily and family immigrated

from Italy, Emily (who was considered
“wild” in her youth) got a tattoo

on her arm proclaiming “America.”
Emily’s niece Alma inherited the sax

and kept it, thinking that her daughter
Rose might want to play it. She did not.

But after Alma died, the sax came to Rose
anyway. “Can you find a home for this?”

she asked. I have re-homed more than
a few cats and dogs in my time, and

occasionally an instrument or two.
I knelt on the floor and gently opened

the 102-year-old Conn case to reveal
a surprisingly vivid purple lining

the strength of a full-spectrum rainbow
cradling the antique instrument,

tucked into its sarcophagus like a mummy.
Rose and I marveled at the mother-of-pearl

keys on the tarnished horn, its patina
and thin leather neck strap providing

antique evidence that it had once been
held by younger hands, likely in the Jazz Age,

played with fresh reeds and carefully
placed embouchure. “Sure,” I said.

“My mother would like that,” Rose said.
“She always hoped someone might play it.”

And when that gorgeous horn finds its way
to the right person, I’ll make sure they

hear the story about Great Aunt Emily
and her tattoo, who I envision blowing

a wicked jazz tune on her 1924 saxophone
that, with luck and a bit of clean-up,

will once again make beautiful music.

•••

Thanks to Rose Varesio for donating her
Great-Aunt Emily’s lovely Conn saxophone
to the next generation of music students.

•••

If you’re in the Sacramento area and have older
band instruments you’d like to donate, I know young
band directors who’d be happy to give the instruments
good homes!