Date with a high school math teacher

This is a photo of me, playing my violin at my neighbor’s apartment in New York City.  I was 27 years old.  (1973)

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When I was in my twenties, living in New York City (1970-1975), I seemed to attract a lot of men who noticed me carrying my violin.  As you know, I studied musicology at Columbia University and also took private violin lessons.

There was one man I remember in particular, though I cannot remember his name.  I was walking on campus, carrying my violin as usual, when he caught up with me and said, “I notice you play the violin.”  I said yes, and he told me he was a high school math teacher and had two tickets to Wagner’s opera, “Parsifal.”  He asked if I would like to join him.  I said okay.

That night, he picked me up at my apartment and drove his car past Lincoln Center, parking a block or two away.  Then, disaster!  It started to rain.  He had only one umbrella, and boy, my trousers and shoes got soaked.

There I was, sitting in the balcony of the Metropolitan Opera House, sopping wet and bored with “Parsifal,” which lasted far too long.  I found myself dozing intermittently.

During intermission, I saw William Buckley, Jr., with his nose up in the air and looking down at people — exactly as he appeared on TV.  Big charge!

Then, after the performance, my date took me to his apartment, and there was a Yamaha baby grand piano in the living room.  He reached for a handwritten score and gave it to me.  “This is a violin sonata I composed, and I want you to keep it.”

He took me home, and that was the last I saw of him.  It’s funny that I remember the event, but not the man’s name.  He was a white man, around 5’8″, slim, intelligent, educated, obviously good at math since he was a math teacher.  But, I must admit, there was no chemistry between us.

The next day, I looked at the score and thought it was unplayable on the violin.  When my friend who was a pianist visited me, I had her perform the piano part on my piano.  It was strident and not melodious.  Later, I discarded the score.

I dated three high school math teachers when I was single.  My daughter, Maria, is also a high school math teacher.  Something about me attracts high school math teachers.