Pick Up Lines

November 29, 2007 at 7:28 AM

I was curious to see whether or not the Nutcracker remembered me from last year, but I wasn’t about to let him know that. Especially after I saw the way he flirted with absolutely everyone, deflating the value of my own encounter to practically nothing. (Not that this really matters in the realm of the happily married woman, but...) I suppose he couldn’t help but be a flirt; in his southern accent and excellent physical condition, he’s probably used to lots of attention. So instead of inserting my own attention-seeking remarks along with the other black-clad musicians backstage, which were causing me to break out in a rash of junior high flashbacks, I deliberately turned and made my way back through the angels and lollipops, between the crates of mouse bodies, back into the dungeon to warm up for the next act.

I didn’t see him again until almost all of the performances were over. In fact, when I’d peeked up from the pit to see the performers take their bows, it appeared that an entirely different Nutcracker had saved the day for the last two or three shows. The former Nutcracker was making his way up the stairwell behind me after the show, sans makeup and leotard, and maybe with a hint of melancholy dragging in his step.

I spoke. “Done with the performances already?”

“Yeah, torn rotator cuff. Gotta go see a doctor for surgery.”

Some people are good with pick up lines, and some with encouraging or comforting words, but I’m not one of those. Shaking my head sadly with one eyebrow raised and half a smirk, I commented over my shoulder:

“From picking up all those chicks, eh?”

He sighed, “...yeah, I guess so.”

From Jim W. Miller
Posted on November 29, 2007 at 7:47 AM

I never saw a guy in leotards picking up chicks before. But apparently they could if they wanted to.
:)

From E. Smith
Posted on November 29, 2007 at 3:12 PM

That Nutcracker has such a big head.

From Tom Holzman
Posted on November 29, 2007 at 7:45 PM

Nice line, Emily. Poor guy with that injury.

From Emily Grossman
Posted on November 29, 2007 at 8:40 PM

I know. That was mean of me. It came out of my mouth before I even thought.

From Michael Schallock
Posted on November 30, 2007 at 1:03 AM

I think it was funny...
but I love flirts.
Most people take life waay to seriously.

From Pauline Lerner
Posted on November 30, 2007 at 1:10 AM

I agree with Michael.

From Ihnsouk Guim
Posted on November 30, 2007 at 1:49 AM

What do you mean? Life is serious.

From Emily Grossman
Posted on November 30, 2007 at 2:38 AM

I've definitely never been one to take life too seriously; I'm always getting in trouble for having too much fun. (Yes, there is such a thing.)

From Penny B
Posted on November 30, 2007 at 3:56 AM

Same here. I get frowned at for my sense of humor.

From Stephen Brivati
Posted on November 30, 2007 at 4:10 AM

Greetings,
>What do you mean? Life is serious.

Aw shucks. I got it wrong again.
Cheers,
Buri

From Ray Randall
Posted on November 30, 2007 at 5:38 AM

At rehearsal tonight I took the CM's place as he had another gig. My normal stand partner sat with me. In one piece things were going so-so. Halfway through with things a tad tense we have to hit a high B flat out of nowhere. My partner and I hit it dead on. Instead of continuing we stopped, everyone else played on and we high fived each other and the guys and gals in the stand behind us too. The conductor looked at me and broke out laughing until tears came to his eyes. That broke the tension and the rest of the rehearsal went just fine.
The moreal of the story is we take ourselves way too seriously too much.

From Jim W. Miller
Posted on November 30, 2007 at 9:31 AM

I'd be nervous about picking up chicks in public while wearing leotards. Almost as nervous as I would be about wearing the leotards in public.

From David Russell
Posted on November 30, 2007 at 11:24 AM

I think it was clever!

From Anne Horvath
Posted on November 30, 2007 at 5:16 PM

Emily, next time you need to find a ballet dancer, remember that they are all outside smoking. Look for the yellowish-blue haze...

From John Allison
Posted on November 30, 2007 at 7:34 PM

If there continues to be frivolity in this forum, I must insist on the Moral Suppression Team being deployed!

From Roelof Bijkerk
Posted on November 30, 2007 at 8:07 PM

Emily I love your blogs. I myself am incredibly in love and wanting to see chick flicks all the time...

From Michael Schallock
Posted on November 30, 2007 at 11:02 PM

One time I played the Nutcracker in Anchorage and my stand partner was Miss Alaska. We had so much fun we were told by another orchestra member to behave. The specific comment was, "This isn't vaudeville, you two."

From Ihnsouk Guim
Posted on December 1, 2007 at 12:24 AM

"The moreal of the story is we take ourselves way too seriously too much."

Ray, do you mean because you highfived for a silly b?

Ihnsouk

From Emily Grossman
Posted on December 1, 2007 at 2:08 AM

Michael, I got to sit next to the french horn players this year, and every time we played the Pas De Deux, the one next to me would say, "Pass the ducks." So on the last performance, I pulled out a wind-up duckie and we passed it through the french horn section.

From Ihnsouk Guim
Posted on December 1, 2007 at 2:23 AM

"Aw shucks. I got it wrong again."

No Buri, the first and only time.

From Roelof Bijkerk
Posted on December 1, 2007 at 6:25 AM

Must I remind you that the three musketeers wore......

From Julie Slama
Posted on December 1, 2007 at 3:53 PM

Straight guys, pay attention. They do some fast costume changes backstage, and they all just get on with it. (I found this out by accident coming in the wrong way to the pit, once. ^o^)
Those guys in leotards are laughing at you...

From Jim W. Miller
Posted on December 1, 2007 at 5:34 PM

No prob. Guys are heavy into chicks who aren't into guys in leotards :)

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