A few decades back I was working on the ship, The QE2. We had a free day in NYC. I made a beeline for the last known studio address of Carmine Caruso. His "Calisthenics" was proving demanding and unsettling but I was waiting for more positive results. When I reached "The Staircase" magnetic sounds of the trumpet ascending freely confirmed I was in the right place at the right time. No Carmine Caruso but Roy Stevens. Despite having no appointment he courteously invited me to sit in, observe and enjoy. This was an introduction to the pencil method of teeth alignment and aperture. Palming the trumpet for arpeggios was something I had tried and discarded, but when I observed a youngster, whose name was Carlos Diaz, perform Roy's method I was astonished. This was an unforgettable afternoon of humility and a glimpse of enlightenment. I was and remain grateful to Roy for his expertise his humanity and his kindness.