Square Pegs In Round Holes

I've been feeling a bit of trepidation the last two weeks regarding the drumming class, because today was the last day of the six-week Saturday class, and I could tell the instructor wanted to move the class to the next level: namely, forming part of his musical backup as he transitioned to playing for the show "Ruined", which will premiere next month at the Guild Theater. The problem was now acute, since his Djun-Djun player had found a paying job, and could no longer participate.

"Ruined" looks like it will be an interesting show:

SYNOPSIS: RUINED is a powerful, gripping, gut-wrenching play, set in a bar and brothel in a mining town in the rain forest of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The sexy, shrewd, proprietor, Mama Nadi both profits and protects the women whose bodies have become battlegrounds for the rebel soldiers and government workers, alike. The women who live and work at Mama's Place, have been brutually raped, ravaged and ruined by the men of the Congo and are caught up in a devastating and spiraling tragedy, yet they continue to fight to hold onto hope and their sanity. The soldiers and Government workers continue to war, and mark their territory as perpetrators as they march in and out of the bar/brothel taking what they want, and leaving more pain and devastation in their aftermath.

But how would our transition work? We are, in large part, a beginning class. It's hard enough running a bar and brothel in the Congo without also having some dancers who barely know their steps and some drummers (me, specifically) who can barely keep the rhythm. A responsible participant would invent excuses and reasons, like innumerable conflicts on the schedule, to stay away, but I had actually identified few conflicts. I'm the guy who can never say "no", even when it is a good idea. So, on Saturday, we would find out what would happen.

At the end of today's last session, the instructor suggested we immediately travel to the Guild Theater and present ourselves to the director of the show. He wasn't sure what would happen, but there was a chance we might slip into the show.

When we arrived at the Guild Theater, the rest of us were politely informed that it was a closed rehearsal, and that the cast and participants had already been chosen. We might be able to pound drums, but for the purposes of the show, we may as well pound sand.

One of the dancers was embarrassed by the disinvitation, but I wasn't. We were just square pegs trying to fit in round holes. People gathered for one purpose can't simply be redirected for another. Someone had to say "no": the director did the right thing. With a good director I'm sure it'll be a good show. The instructor still has a Monday-night session where we can continue to hone our skills, and there might be private lessons and other classes in the future.

But still, I can see where the instructor wants to go with it all. He wants to ADVANCE! But as the spirit is strong, the flesh is weak. This ambition will take time....