Pipe Band Forum 3/12/07

Unkind Remarks (a topic I started about rude people)

I just posted a response to the thread on piping outdoors when I thought of an experience I had on a warm day in December when I was practicing for a few minutes in my back yard. I was wondering if anyone else has had any in-your-face unkind or rude remarks.It was early afternoon on a Saturday, so I figured anyone who had been up all night Friday would be awake by then and it was past most toddler's nap time. I felt the timing was good. I had already tuned up in the house and went out to play a few tunes on my patio and practice some marching for my competition tunes.I got through three or four tunes when a neighbor kid the next street over yelled, "Shut up!!" The kid was probably 9-11 years old and he promptly ducked back into his house when I looked over there.Being a good neighbor I simply went back inside to finish my practicing.My feelings were a bit hurt though. All of my experience playing outdoors has always brought praise from my neighbors and the kids especially.My wife told me she really enjoyed my playing. When I told her what had happened she said she had heard it and knew the kid who said it. She asked me if I remembered last summer when mail had been stolen from many of our neighbor's mail boxes and some of the boxes had been vandalized. I had heard something about it. She told me that they finally caught the kid who had been doing it and it was this same kid! After that I didn't feel so bad - I went out and played three more tunes. I should have invited the band over for an outdoor session. What do you think?