Run-in with Ms. Plaid Coat

Sunday evening we went to a friend's violin senior recital. I was excited for a cultural event and to support our friend and his wife. They had been handing out invitations to the recital at church for weeks, it was going to be great. It was a little bit of a challenge to convince Trevor to go but finally he relented.

We got seats near the back & Trevor sat by another friend from church--perfect. This way Trevor felt less ‘out of place’ at the event. Our violinist friend did a fantastic job, he has a great talent and it is always uplifting to listen to classical music.

I was having AMAZING time, listening to the strong & whistful sounds of the instrument, and imagining stories to go along with the notes. About 20 minutes into our enjoyment, I find myself face to face with the ‘violin instructor’. It seemed like she came out of thin air, I didn't even see her walk over to our aisle. She leaned over in her plaid jacket and said something to me in an upset tone. I didn’t completely understand because of her thick accent and so I responded with a polite, “I’m sorry?”

She repeated herself & I still didn’t completely understand but this time I got the basic idea of what she was saying “GET YOUR KID TO SHUT UP”.

Up until that point, Trevor & I were SO PROUD of Jackson for being so great! He wasn’t wiggly or crying or screaming or squealing or ANYTHING. He did squeal one time in between performances and did a few of his soft vocal sighs and one sneeze. That was IT. She probably made MORE noise with her dialogue than Jackson had made during the time we had been there.


I was mad. More than mad. A new emotion I had never felt before. A sort of primal Mommy-defense system came over me. My eyes locked in place and I kept thinking “what nerve!” and “she must not have children otherwise she would have taken the time to COMPLIMENT me on what a quiet and well-behaved baby I have”---Trevor could tell something was wrong, he asked “are you alright?” I said “Nope.” and stared ahead, wondering if the other Mommies were getting the same speech.


I wanted to get up and take my darling, well-behaved child out. And at the same time I wanted to move to the front row and give the instructor a toothy smile. I decided we’d stay until the intermission like civilized people and in the mean time we’d plug our baby’s mouth with a pacifier. I hated to do it. He was being so good, there really was no reason to put the thing in his mouth but I guess that is what the woman wanted me to do?


On our way out (during the intermission) a nice lady sitting in front of us commented on what a cute baby we had and how she didn’t even KNOW there was a baby sitting behind her because he was being so good. I smiled and thanked her--wishing SHE was the person ‘in charge’ instead of Ms. Plaid Coat.

I found out as we were leaving that the instructor is “a bit high strung” and the reason she was concerned was because they were recording for the violinist's applications to grad school (and that other Mommies were confronted as well).

Ok, so I understand the sound quality was an issue.

Here’s my beef:
1) My baby was being really really REALLY good, we were sitting in the very back, and I highly doubt his low-voiced sighs made it onto the recording
2) If it is REALLY that big of a deal, then please add to your programs or invitations “Because of the sound quality needed for the recording of the performance, please do not bring babies or infants.”

I could have left Baby J at home with Daddy and enjoyed a me-night-out for some classical music time. Instead, I left the performance early and have had not-nice thoughts about the instructor ever since.