Comments

From al ku
Posted from 69.115.221.104 on February 25, 2008 at 2:16 PM (GMT)
emily, what great prose! come on, it's fate,,,give him a chance!:)
From Keith Laurie
Posted from 209.112.222.172 on February 25, 2008 at 4:02 PM (GMT)
Our youth and community strings orchestra could always use another violin....
From Kristin Mortenson
Posted from 70.179.183.135 on February 25, 2008 at 5:05 PM (GMT)
Do you live in one of those towns where women go to meet men--where the men outnumber the women like 8-1? If so, I'd have to say the cop has a pretty clever line..."I want to learn ...uh...VIOLIN! YEAH, violin!" Or maybe he really is a nice guy. I'd still be a bit leery, though.

If I took him, I'd sandwich him in between two kids with big, burly dads and require the dads to come to lessons. Or maybe sandwich him in between two kids whose moms were prettier than me...

From Carol Cook
Posted from 72.131.25.115 on February 25, 2008 at 7:33 PM (GMT)
So...he let you off with a warning, and you both knew you were exceeding the limit...he was respectful...he fessed up to meeting you previously when he called (respectful again)...he let you by on the road, presumably to speed on (and politely oblivious)...and you don't know if you should accept him as a student? How much nicer do you need him to be? Call his previous teacher if you want, check his credit, but consider that he may be treating you with such courtesy because his deep dark toothy secret is that he actually wants to play the violin. Of course, it doesn't hurt that you are a beautiful young woman but you are also a professional, yes? Quid pro quo. Return respect for respect given.

cheers

/

From Abra Richards
Posted from 69.46.54.56 on February 25, 2008 at 9:07 PM (GMT)
give the cop a chance!! if nothing else, perhaps it will help with another warning when that sanity of yours can't sit behind someone going the speed limit!
From Christina C.
Posted from 132.205.125.42 on February 25, 2008 at 9:36 PM (GMT)
I can understand being leery, but if I were a violin teacher & I came across someone who expressed an interest in taking up this crazy thing we do,I'd do what I could to encourage it
From Bernardo B
Posted from 168.168.67.112 on February 25, 2008 at 9:47 PM (GMT)
I agree with the others: you should give the guy a chance - he looks like a nice person, even tough he's a cop ;-)
From David Allen
Posted from 71.113.64.22 on February 25, 2008 at 9:49 PM (GMT)
Cops, maybe more than most, need a dose of sanity in their lives; let him come in from the cold!
From Stephen Brivati
Posted from 210.172.213.190 on February 25, 2008 at 10:32 PM (GMT)
Greetings,
but what a fantastic concept. Have the fuzz playing in your section and when they start speeding he throws tickets around like confetti....
Cheer,s
Buri
From Pauline Lerner
Posted from 70.108.136.236 on February 25, 2008 at 10:44 PM (GMT)
I agree with Carol Cook. He sounds like a very decent fellow, even though he's a cop.
From Stephen Brivati
Posted from 210.172.213.190 on February 25, 2008 at 11:42 PM (GMT)
Greetings,
yep. Look at it this wya: by civilizing him you are making the roads so much safer for other drivers,
Cheers,
Buri
From Bonny Buckley
Posted from 61.171.158.176 on February 25, 2008 at 11:51 PM (GMT)
are u kidding? it would be the perfect move to take him into your studio -- how could he ever pull you over then??? Just do it! You never know when you might need help from him either. just do it! : - )
From Tim C
Posted from 71.225.99.218 on February 26, 2008 at 3:08 AM (GMT)
Since I'm not a suspicious person I'd say it sounds like the start of a good story involving people in uniform and their inability to give me speeding tickets.

But if I were suspicious...

I would tell him he had to try out for my one open lesson slot. Then if he seemed uncongenial there would be an excuse.

From Bob Annis
Posted from 96.231.124.72 on February 26, 2008 at 5:37 AM (GMT)
C'mon. You're armed, what could be the problem?
From PM Chu
Posted from 24.4.139.71 on February 26, 2008 at 6:14 PM (GMT)
Emily, take him!! It takes alot of courage for him to do that!!
From Rosalind Porter
Posted from 82.39.3.200 on February 26, 2008 at 7:30 PM (GMT)
I agree with everyone, he's a cop - not an escaped convict - at least give him a trial lesson and see how it goes.
From Jim W. Miller
Posted from 172.162.227.186 on February 26, 2008 at 9:19 PM (GMT)
I don't understand the hesitation. But only you know what that particular police force is like.

I have an acquaintance who's giving up music to become a cop. I thought up a good name for a cop band. Call yourselves "The State Trippers." You're hereby granted unlimited license to use it in exchange for unlimited license to drive any way I want.

From Tom Holzman
Posted from 167.176.6.8 on February 26, 2008 at 9:45 PM (GMT)
You can't have too many cops for friends. In addition, this may give you a chance to network in a part of the community where you do not have contacts.
From Rosalind Porter
Posted from 82.39.3.200 on February 27, 2008 at 2:03 AM (GMT)
Additionally, you could always put a spiked collar on your chocolate lab, paint some fake blood round his fangs to make him look extra fierce and have him sit in on the first lesson to "protect" you!
From Drew Lecher
Posted from 64.53.208.254 on February 27, 2008 at 5:59 AM (GMT)
and if he likes the flavor of the fake blood, he would salivate even more and constantly lick his chops…

yum,yum, cop chops:-)

From Jeremy Easterling
Posted from 205.157.244.33 on February 27, 2008 at 4:14 PM (GMT)
So many comments on this subject. I am curious as to the real reason you do not want him as a student. Do you have any adults students currently or have you had a bad experience with one before, for whatever the reason may be I would make sure you are ready for this student before you take him on.

I am not sure if the comments about his character were made up or not(underage girs and such) but his record is public knowledge. And calling his previous teacher would be a good idea, on the premiss to judge his ability, persay.

But if you are just being overly cautious, take a chance, but call his teacher and maybe book lesson times at the local music store, for a more public environment.

From Paul Kim
Posted from 68.3.76.71 on February 28, 2008 at 6:43 PM (GMT)
Entertaining but disturbing, since your assessment of the trooper is based on ??what??

Remember that these guys (and gals!) risk their lives everyday to keep us safe. Last year alone, 186 officers died in the line of duty, protecting and serving the public.

I am both a police supervisor and a concert violinist ... the two need not be mutually exclusive.

Remember that if you 'run' into him again ...

From Jim W. Miller
Posted from 172.133.141.170 on February 28, 2008 at 8:51 PM (GMT)
Paul, actually she's agreeing with you - the assessment based on what. It took me a while to get it too. Her initial conditioned reaction and then the same thing from her friends, followed up by sarcasm about the sharp teeth after she'd thought it all over. It would have been clearer maybe if it ended with her taking him as a student...but I'm pretty sure she will. In defense of all of them, a bit of sense of intimidation on the part of the public is an important part of the biz I think ;)
From Jim W. Miller
Posted from 172.134.175.197 on February 28, 2008 at 9:20 PM (GMT)
"the two need not be mutually exclusive."

I knew a cop who was a hillarious comedian. A former cop anyway. He had a shop where he did gun repairs in the afternoon and night, and in the mornings the taught machine shop at a technical school. I used to hang out at his shop when I needed to laugh my ass off. Being a machinist, he made a high percentage of the gun parts he used. He figured he could clean up if he could just have the kids make gun parts in shop class. Probably wouldn't have gone over.

From Emily Grossman
Posted from 66.230.113.10 on February 28, 2008 at 9:29 PM (GMT)
Who actually knows what I meant by Lambert? The sheepish lion? Alluding to the fact that the one I mistook for a lion turned out to be harmless?

I will spell it out more plainly next time.

From Emily Grossman
Posted from 66.230.113.10 on February 28, 2008 at 9:32 PM (GMT)
You don't know how sad I am now, thinking that no one got that.
From Carol Cook
Posted from 72.131.25.115 on February 28, 2008 at 10:18 PM (GMT)
Why not just give the man a chance? You are a professional, yes?
I was looking for community when I found this site. Maybe he is too.

cheers

From Emily Grossman
Posted from 66.230.113.10 on February 28, 2008 at 11:32 PM (GMT)
Carol, that's what I'm trying to explain. This is an essay about the tendency people have to prejudge others, about giving people chances, about sheep in wolves' clothing, so to speak. I failed to communicate that, it seems.

And besides, the slot won't work into his schedule.

The End

From Emily Grossman
Posted from 66.230.113.10 on February 28, 2008 at 11:54 PM (GMT)
There, I changed it.
From Jim W. Miller
Posted from 172.134.175.197 on February 29, 2008 at 6:42 AM (GMT)
Good. When you've got cops mad at you, it's time to do something :)