April 1

Icarus: To what do we owe the honor? Or is this some kind of April Fool's trick?

Daedalus: No, I really was here at the Symphony concert tonight.

I: Troglodyte! What's the occasion?

D: Guilty as charged. But every so often I have to see how the real world lives, just to know I'm not missing anything. So you're subbing in the orchestra this week. Did you enjoy it? Did you really enjoy it? Did it move you?

I: It was certainly rewarding financially. It's a great orchestra; we played well, and there were two or three stunningly beautiful moments. And the audience loved it—that was rewarding.

D: What makes you think the audience loved it?

I: Well, they all clapped like mad. Like for the new piece. I was skeptical, but in the end I was glad to have done it. … I thought there were some nifty sounds. How did you find it?

D: Let me ask you—did it provide you with a sublime musical experience?

I: Not totally, but I was busy scrubbing away trying to find those notes.

D: Well it didn't provide one for me either, and I was just listening.

I: Maybe it would have helped if you heard the composer at the preconcert lecture.

D: There are only …

I: Yeah, yeah. (imitating Daedalus) “There are only two things that can happen, and both of them are bad.