Friday, May 30, 2008

Bad Concert Behavior

At a concert, setting a bad example for my children:

On the bench in front of me, two sisters and a boyfriend.

During the first act: they chatter constantly, making jokes about how the first act is not the second act, who they came to see.

During the second act: they jump up on the bench and dance and scream the whole set, literally the only people dancing among thousands in the venue. The whole long bench on which they dance shakes vigorously, and the poor guy next to them (wearing earplugs) is whiplashed around as he struggles to eat a slice of pizza. The three are the cause of mostly good-humored eye-rolling and bonding all around them.

In the break there is some hope that they won't be back for the last act.

During the third act, they are up and down and in and out of their seats, switching places, alternately dancing, singing, and conducting loud conversation. Finally, during a very pretty rendition of a quiet song, I break:

Guy: I got the last beer. The place was closed. I got them to give me this. This beer cost me twenty dollars. [repeat, loudly, three times]

Me, after banging my head on the bench in front of me, even more loudly: Shut the fuck up. Nobody cares about your beer.

They: stunned silence.

A couple of songs later.

Guy: Sorry. I didn't realize I was so loud. I didn't know the song.

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