Backwards Friday

I had a funny upside-down day! This morning I went to Kleinhans Music Hall to hear the Buffalo Philharmonic play Gershwin. Gershwin is night music and I am used to being in Kleinhans at night. And once you go in it is like being in a casino, with no windows or clocks.

The ushers always tease me when I go to these morning concerts, called Coffee Concerts. Because I always forget it is not night! Invariably I slip and say, "Good evening," to someone. The ushers tease me that next thing you know I will be looking around for the bar! Hey, never say never.

I kept thinking of Leonard Pennario because he owned these pieces, "Rhapsody in Blue" and the "I Got Rhythm" Variations.

After that I had to rush to the office and write up the concert. You would think that because it is in the morning I would have more than half an hour to write it, you know? But that is not the way the kohlrabi crumbles.

Before I knew it, it was time to go out into the beautiful day and go to Zumba class. I wore the loudest and most obnoxious colors I could think of, bright yellow top and hot pink pants. Just like the girl in the picture up above, only upside-down. As I said this was an upside-down day!

Zumba class was fun. The first dance we did after the warmup was "La Patilla." That is my number! I own it the way Pennario owned the "Rhapsody in Blue." I am great at the dances requiring simple brute strength. I found this video of "La Patilla" here which is like the version we did today. At the downtown gym we do a more taxing and down-and-dirty version which mean I am even better at it.

It is funny how in that video everyone is skinny. Here in Buffalo at our Zumba classes we are all sizes.

Back to my weird day. At the end of Zumba class the teacher, Eileen, never dismissed us. She just turned around and silently started putting her things away.

All of us stood there waiting for her to turn and tell us goodbye.

But she never did!

Eventually we all drifted out, awkwardly. On the way into the locker room this other girl says to me, "Doesn't she usually tell us we look lovely, or something?"

That is true! The teacher usually says, "Thank you, lovely ladies."

I said, "Yes, I was waiting to be told I look lovely!" We all kind of looked at each other in confusion. Something was just not right!

On the other hand I will say this:

It was the perfect touch to an upside-down day.