This morning Safety Carrot and I went to her regular Thursday morning activity, a lecture series on the restoration and reconstruction of antique string instruments. It was a very special class; the instructor had brought along a 1735 Guarneri del Gesł violin for everyone to see and hear.
As you can imagine, this excited the Carrot immensely.
"If you please, miss," she said, "might I be so fortunate as to hold this precious instrument? Would you permit me to put bow to string?"
The teacher was most taken with the Carrot's enthusiasm. "Of course," she said, passing the Guarneri over.
With eyes like saucers and a monstrous grin on her face, the Carrot raised her bow and treated the room to the Allegro assai from Bach's Sonata No.3 in C Major, BWV 1005.
Now, I've heard her play that about a zillion times, so at this point I got a little distracted and started looking around the room. It was full of parents and their one-and-a-half-year-olds as always, but one of the fathers was new.
Blimey if he wasn't a real live Rock Star. He was the guy with the glasses in that band with the song with the line that goes "I don't make films but if I did they'd have a samurai." Here is his picture:
For the moment I can't remember what his band is called. "Girls Without Pants" or something like that.
Anyway, we exchanged glances and faint smiles that said "Gosh, it's an honour to be in the room with you."
Then Safety Carrot finished the Allegro assai and in all the excitement of the standing ovation that followed, I failed to strike up a conversation with the Rock Star.
He is probably at home crying about it right now.
Posted by Bret at February 20, 2003 03:54 PM