High School Band
I played the saxophone in our high school band. I was pretty good, and always had "first chair". Even as a Freshman, I was the best person in the entire band, and really deserved the first chair position. (No bragging, I worked really hard.) Unfortunately, at this time the first chair position was held by a Senior named Mark Norris who was a complete sexist asshole. He hated me inexplicably--I don't know why, I had never done anything to him, and I am generally very friendly. Maybe he felt threatened by me? But I think the fact of the matter was, he simply hated all women. He would routinely call me a "whore", "slut", and other degrading names. He made my life miserable on a daily basis. He also resented the fact that I got along fantastically with all of the other saxophonists in our section (all men) and of course they (and pretty much everyone else) hated him with a passion.

At the end of the year, we always had a big concert. This was well-attended by our schoolteachers, school-mates, and parents. I came in just before the show was about to begin, and the audience was getting seated, and the band director was seating the band. He told me that he was changing our seats slightly, and that we'd all be sitting one chair to the left. Mark Norris came in and said, "you are sitting in my seat. I am first chair!" I replied calmly, "no, the band director moved us..." He says again, angrily, "I am first chair! Look--my gym bag and everything are right there!" So in front of a fairly quiet audience, I stood up, took his gym bag, shoved it at him and yelled loudly, "THERE! There's your fucking gym bag and there's your fucking chair!" Dead silence in the auditorium at this point. He took the gym bag and hit me HARD across the chest with it. It was full of books, and a heavy metal lock. I immediately burst into tears and in front of the entire audience proceeded to SCREAM HYSTERICALLY at him every profanity I knew. When I was finished, I ran, red-faced, tears streaming down my face off the stage. 2 seconds later the audience and band burst into applause. It was all at once one of THE worst and best moments of my life.

PS, I got in huge trouble afterwards from my parents, the principal, and the band director. Mark Norris? Got in no trouble at all.
(WorksInDUMBO, Fri 19 Aug 2011, 16:09, 4 replies)

I would have applauded too.
Even though I don't really understand many experimental orchestral pieces, I like to show willing and reward effort.
(richardm, Fri 19 Aug 2011, 16:13, closed)

Serves you right,
for making a scene.
( monster munch person, man, woman... camera... TV?, Fri 19 Aug 2011, 17:02, closed)

did you not think to get him to speak to the band director about it?
bit of an over-reaction on your part
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Fri 19 Aug 2011, 17:04, closed)

I lost my shit!
(WorksInDUMBO, Fri 19 Aug 2011, 17:09, closed)