I should have been a dentist

Do I look like an idiot? Ok, most people reading this have no idea what I look like, so I'll tell you the answer-- no, not usually.

I've even TOLD my students that I'm not a moron, and 95% of the time, I can tell when they're lying to me.

I had a rehearsal yesterday. I had to explain the term "preaching to the choir" to the students who showed up and got a lecture. Why?

Because, as is VERY usual in this "business", so many kids come up with last minute "excuses" why they can't attend rehearsals. And then, as I testily explained to the poor kids who DID come to rehearsal, it wastes MY time, and it wastes THEIR time, because we have to relearn things we've done already.

Many times, these excuses magically create themselves as the students walk through my office door. Remember that sound proof force field the students believe exists between my office and the hallway right outside?

Well apparently that phenomenon somehow prevents me from hearing a kid say "yeah, I'll come to your house today after school" outside my door, five seconds before they come in and tell me they can't come to rehearsal today because they have a dentist appointment.

Let me tell you. It must have been a VERY busy day at the dentist office yesterday.

So you'd think "come on, we know you, you'd catch the kid in a lie, right?" Yes, sometimes I'll call them on it.

More often though, I'll just give them a general admonishment about not scheduling appointments during rehearsal times, and then make a mental note to give them an ugly costume.




"Here's your costume Suzie. I think the pattern will show off your nice clean teeth really well. What's that? It doesn't look to be the right time period? That's ok, nobody will be able to tell from where YOU'RE going to be standing. "