Klarinet Archive - Posting 001044.txt from 2000/10

From: Bilwright@-----.net (William Wright)
Subj: [kl] Anecdote: 14 years old
Date: Thu, 19 Oct 2000 19:34:15 -0400

(especially for Dan Leeson)

When I picked my daughter up at school today, she asked me to take
her to a restaurant "where we can have a serious conversation, Dad."
Since McDonald's is our favorite restaurant for 'serious conversations',
that's where I took her.
But when it came time to converse seriously, she started beating
around the bush. What was bothering her? Something about boys? drugs?
new clothes? grades at school?
It turned out that she was making plans for her 14th birthday
party. Exactly what would I allow her to do on her 14th birthday?
She and I beat around the bush for another 10 minutes while I made
some suggestions -- a beach party, rent-a-clown or rent-a-magician, pony
rides (I'm GROWN-UP now, D-A-A-D!). Finally I asked if she was
thinking about hiring a disc jockey.
"Yes, that may work, Dad." Very tentative. So we began to
discuss exactly how much noise would be permissible in our back yard,
perhaps we'd need to have the party in a city park instead... No? I
still don't understand?... "Do you want to hire a live band, Kristina?"
"Yes, Dad! Now you're catching on!" But still her voice had that
special note of unresolved issues. What in the name of heaven was I
missing? Surely she didn't want _me_ to play? Did she have in mind
hiring a big name group whom I couldn't afford... 'N Sync, or Backstreet
Boys or the like?

Finally she burst out with it.

"I know you, Dad! You're gonna hire a classical band and they'll
play Music Art, or whatever that guy's name is!"

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