Choeur

We had our final choir performance last night.
Some of you may be surprised to learn that I was even singing in a choir at a little music school at Saint Germain des Pres, but the explanation is simple. Singing in the choir technically makes me a "student" at the school, and being a "student" gives me access to their lovely practice rooms.
The choirmaster (also the head of the school) long ago figured out my scheme and now won't even make eye contact with me when we cross in the halls.
The choir has been an overwhelmingly low priority for me--one week I skipped three out of four rehearsals, and I didn't even buy the sheet music until last week.
I guess I also missed the news that this would be a formal concert--I could have sworn that the choirmaster said it would be "informel" and that we wouldn't need to dress up, but maybe he was saying it would be "infortune" (wretched). Although that'd be a pretty negative comment for a choirmaster.

Anyway, I showed up to the church last night to find the women in black dresses and the men in tuxedos. I was wearing jeans, Pumas, and a dusty sweater with a bunch of cheese crumbs stuck to it. Oops.
A kind woman in the choir called her husband to bring me a nice pair of pants. Unfortunately, he brought another pair of jeans--a few hues darker and about four sizes tighter, but still jeans.
I expected to get some very French comments, and I did. Example:

*During* the concert, between songs, while the large crowd is applauding, the woman next to me murmurs:

"You were supposed to wear a white shirt."
"I know, I'm sorry. I didn't know."
"In France, we dress up for concerts. They dress up for concerts everywhere."
"I know, I'm sorry."
"I mean, you play piano concerts right? Don't you wear white shirts for that?"
"Yes. I'm sorry."
"We wear white shirts to concerts here."
"I'm sorry."
"It's like that everywhere."
"I'm sorry."

Another example:

A guy in the dressing room passes me and looks at my Pumas.

"Looks like you forgot your bowtie, huh?"
"I'm sorry."

This could go on endlessly. Needless to say, it was a fitting end for my stint with the choir.
Even better, there's actually video footage from last night. I'm the guy about ten seconds in who's wearing a sweater. I'm hard to miss.