Sunday, May 18, 2008
Sit In
We went to a jazz concert at Symphony Hall on Friday. Of course, given the typical CSO demographic, I was one of the few concertgoers who did not bring my own oxygen tank. A gentleman a few seats down from us felt the need to educate us on the history and principles of jazz (such as that the program is announced from the stage rather than printed in advance -- how crazy!) and half the audience left in the middle of the second half so as to "beat the traffic" back to Naperville. It was a real cultural adventure.
The greatest part, though, was when the elderly couple seated next to us tried to find their seats before the show. This, of course, became The Greatest Ordeal of All Time.
"What did that Negro say about our seats, Mabel? It says row M. Are we in row M? What did he say?"
"I don't know. I don't know. Why don't you listen? You never listen."
"How would you know? You never stop talking. Row M. I think we're in row M. But we should be on the inside. We've got to get by here."
"Oh, oh no. Oh no. Sorry for the trouble folks. Can we squeeze through? We need to squeeze through. George, watch your cane."
"Sorry about your foot there. Oops. Sorry. Come on, Mabel. Now 28. 28. I'm supposed to be in 28. Where is it? I don't see it."
"Do the numbers go up or down? We should have come from the other side."
"Well, it's too late for that, isn't it. 28. This says 15. What number do you have?"
"I don't know. I left it in my purse. Should I get it out?"
At this point she began dumping her checkbook, wallet, and various hard candies and used tissues from her purse into the aisle.
"Forget about it. Forget about it. We're on the wrong side. Come on. Come on. Sorry, we need to squeeze through again."
"Are we on the wrong side? Oh George, we're on the wrong side. Hold up a minute, I've got to get this stuff back in my purse."
"Where's 28? There's only odd numbers here. I only see odd numbers. Are you in 27?"
"I don't know. I don't know. I just want to sit down."
At this point, someone explained that all the even numbers were on the other side of the theater.
"Oh holy hell. Mabel, we've got to get going."
"I'm coming, I'm coming. Good lord."
I love the fine arts.
We went to a jazz concert at Symphony Hall on Friday. Of course, given the typical CSO demographic, I was one of the few concertgoers who did not bring my own oxygen tank. A gentleman a few seats down from us felt the need to educate us on the history and principles of jazz (such as that the program is announced from the stage rather than printed in advance -- how crazy!) and half the audience left in the middle of the second half so as to "beat the traffic" back to Naperville. It was a real cultural adventure.
The greatest part, though, was when the elderly couple seated next to us tried to find their seats before the show. This, of course, became The Greatest Ordeal of All Time.
"What did that Negro say about our seats, Mabel? It says row M. Are we in row M? What did he say?"
"I don't know. I don't know. Why don't you listen? You never listen."
"How would you know? You never stop talking. Row M. I think we're in row M. But we should be on the inside. We've got to get by here."
"Oh, oh no. Oh no. Sorry for the trouble folks. Can we squeeze through? We need to squeeze through. George, watch your cane."
"Sorry about your foot there. Oops. Sorry. Come on, Mabel. Now 28. 28. I'm supposed to be in 28. Where is it? I don't see it."
"Do the numbers go up or down? We should have come from the other side."
"Well, it's too late for that, isn't it. 28. This says 15. What number do you have?"
"I don't know. I left it in my purse. Should I get it out?"
At this point she began dumping her checkbook, wallet, and various hard candies and used tissues from her purse into the aisle.
"Forget about it. Forget about it. We're on the wrong side. Come on. Come on. Sorry, we need to squeeze through again."
"Are we on the wrong side? Oh George, we're on the wrong side. Hold up a minute, I've got to get this stuff back in my purse."
"Where's 28? There's only odd numbers here. I only see odd numbers. Are you in 27?"
"I don't know. I don't know. I just want to sit down."
At this point, someone explained that all the even numbers were on the other side of the theater.
"Oh holy hell. Mabel, we've got to get going."
"I'm coming, I'm coming. Good lord."
I love the fine arts.
