Being Out of the Loop

I didn't bring my phone to the orchestra concert tonight. Phone rings are the bane of all performance art, and I wasn't expecting to have anyone call me. After all, basically everyone I know is already there! But it turns out to have been a bad idea, at least if I intended to have a social evening.

After the concert, everyone headed out. I determine to which establishment we're going, and step out the door. Ahh, fresh air and cold temperatures. I arrive at the predetermined destination and unpack myself into a chair. It's a nice night (after being under hot lights), so I'm just sitting on the restraurant patio at night, alone, in my desheveled tux. Drinking.

And as pathetic as that image sounds, I was happy as a clam. After all, it was relatively quiet. My sweat was finally starting to evaporate, meaning my body temperature was falling nicely. I had "breadsticks that were tasty" and "beer," thus crossing off the two major food groups. Eventually, I realized that plans must have changed, and that no one would think to come to the restaurant to tell me. Without a phone, there's not really anything I could do about it. So, I packed up my stuff and enjoyed the drive home. Lots of people with their fireplaces going on my route home, and the smell of woodsmoke is everywhere.

Sure enough, as I'm changing in my closet, I find my phone right where I left it. The message light is blinking and people are wondering where I am. Apparently, after I left the concert building, people weren't sure if the place I was headed was actually open, so they changed plans. And for lack of carrying my phone with me, I have to resort to getting myself a glass of juice, putting on comfy clothes, and falling into bed. Hmm. Maybe I am better off..

I'm so used to arriving at getherings early and waiting for the second person to show up, it really didn't cross my mind how much time had elapsed. I'm not quite sure why I often arrive at evenings out in advance of everyone else; perhaps it's because I only have to worry about getting myself ready. Or maybe it has to do with me driving 20 minutes to get anywhere, so I naturally budget more time. Or maybe there's a different concept of what happens when someone says, "Let's meet at 7:30".

Perhaps all that bass trombone playing has dulled my hearing so that I can't hear the high-pitched "second level" of sentence that comes out, when they say, "But I couldn't possibly be there before 8:15."

Besides, there'll be more drinking after the next concert: it's a command performance for rich people. That always puts musicians in a drinking mood.