Can I just repost this, please?
In my pre-teen years, I used to attend the Lewisham Academy of Music in south-east London. It was a wonderful organization, with a month's membership costing around £3 and giving you access to any instrument you wanted and fantastic teachers, many of whom worked for nothing, to teach you to play it.

While I was there I started off with the Recorder and moved on to the Saxophone, Guitar, Keyboard and eventually drums.

However, one incident really sticks in my mind.

One day, I decided I wanted to learn to play the piano, so I went to see one of the piano teachers - Angus, I think his name was. Lovely guy with a heart of gold.

Unfortunately, I just could not understand his accent. At that age I had all the social grace of a paraplegic, incontinent trout.

He asked me a question. I didn't hear him properly. He asked me why I didn't hear.

And what I said was this: "I'm sorry, I just can't understand black people."

"Out! Out!" he said. He paced up and down the coridoor for a bit, obviously hugely angry.

And that was it. I was expecting a bollocking from someone, and to go in the next day with everyboyd thinking I was the hellspawn of a pair of crazy hitler worshippers or something.

But nothing. He didn't mention it to anyone.

So I'd like to say thank you to Angus, for understanding that small children sometimes say the most stupid of things, and letting it go.

Well, I know I was only 7 at the time, but I needed to get it off my chest.

Length? Not much, aged 7.
(Half of Stephen Fry's right buttock pissed on your dog on, Fri 28 Nov 2008, 10:52, Reply)