I knew from a young age I wanted to play the drums.

I got my first small kit when I was 5, and when my friends and I started a “band” I played buckets. When I was 15 years old, I knew I needed a real kit.

So 24 years ago to the day (December 20th), my dad took me to Alto Music — the local music store in my home town. We looked around at the sets, but they were all too expensive.

My dad didn’t say it explicitly, but we’d be hard-pressed to get a drum set within our budget.

It was apparently obvious, because a kind man named Alan came over to us. Alan was probably around the same age I am now…maybe a little younger. He told us that he was in the store looking for an electric kit.

See, Alan and his wife just became new parents to a baby girl, and he couldn’t play his acoustic set any more. He wouldn’t be able to for a number years.

He said he saw the look on my dad’s face as we were looking at the prices and made a decision: that he would sell his set to us, cheap. How cheap?

It was a black, 5-piece Yamaha that would have easily sold for $800. But that wasn’t all. He also had 5 Zildjian A Custom cymbals: high hats (natch), a crash, ride, crash-ride, and splash. That Ride was at least $300 alone. All-in, it was probably a $1500 set.

He sold it to us for $300¹. I couldn’t believe my own dumb luck. But my dad, who was much smarter than I was, couldn’t believe this man’s honest to God generosity.

He gave us his address². We picked it up 3 days later, and I was the proud owner of my first real drum set. The first song I actually learned was probably Hanging by a Moment, by Lifehouse, which I can still play today.