Unenchanted Evening.

Tonight was Sam's violin concert, the very first of (I hope) many. He played real nice with his beginner orchestra. That part I loved.

The rest of the evening was-a not so fun.

I was a chaperone for the beginners. Which meant I had to get there at six pm, and usher them all in the Dickinson room of Ryerson Church. And wait with them for AN HOUR AND A HALF until it was time for them to play. Then usher them on then off the stage, then help them get the violins away, then bring them back out to sit in the audience quietly for the rest of the concert.

Several things were hard about this.

1. In the Dickinson room, they had to be quiet because it is right beside the stage.
2. AND They really didnt have anything to do after they had gotten their violins tuned.

So. 35 kids age 7-10 in a room with violins trying to be quiet.
Well, with me and another lady trying to make them be quiet. My mouth is in a permanent crunch from all the shh-shhing I did tonight. My eyes are tired from all the harsh glances I tried to give. I said so many "Hey!'s" and "Put that down"'s I can't even remember.
The boys were into rubber bands and flinging them all over the place. When I tried to say "you will hurt someone" they said, "It's okay, I am shooting it at the ceiling!"
The girls were having little races the length of the room in their black skirts and white blouses. I said, "No running". So they did walking races, which were just as loud.
We had them holding their violins but told them not to pluck or play. They couldn't do it. So then we had them put the violins back in the cases. We had them line up in two lines and sit on the floor. One girl asked to go to the bathroom and that was it. They all miraculously had to go to the bathroom right then and there. So we sent them in giggling groups of three to the bathroom. I think a few of them may be still in there.

Have you ever been in a situation where it seems like fifteen minutes takes two days and nights? I have.

Have you ever had to crane your neck and yank hymn books out of seven pairs of hands because the camera guy from Cable 14 poked you in the shoulder and told you that the page turnings were too loud for his videorecording? I have.

I didnt even get to see most of the concert. I heard it was really nice though. I did get to see a bunch of notes that the three rambunctious (being nice here) older boys were passing around to each other, that said things like "Hey Fat Bum" and "Turd" and "Looser".

All in all, I would definitely say that next year I will be more careful where I volunteer my man hours. I think the nice quiet table where you pick up your tickets would suit me dandy.

On a better note (NPI), can I say that kids today, when they are dressed in black pants or skirts and white tops, and are waiting in the wings to play the violin, are EXACTLY the same as kids were when I was a kid. Shy girls chewing their pony tails, busy boys with brush cuts, kids trying to impress each other with double jointed fingers. Bored kids. Excited kids. The world is so different, but they haven't changed a bit.

And I like this. So something good out of the shushing and craning and missing of the violining. And Ryerson United Church is one gorgeous old place dressed up for Christmas. So two things. Wait, three. Sam. In his white dress shirt and black corduroys. My handsome boy who stayed mostly by my side and even hugged me (once, real quick) with all those kids around. I ain't no fool. I know this won't last forever. So I am grateful times ten for it.

Gotta go sleep now. Chaperone Forderer Over and OUT.

A.