When worlds collide

A simple fact of life that we all know well is that you can't please everyone. On occasion this can be painfully clear. Yesterday I had the dis-pleasurable (poetic license) experience of seeing what happens when you cross a noisy downtown festival with a lawyer who choose the wrong location for her office.

As is common in many cities, the downtown core is often the focus of a variety of events from festivals to parades to parties in the streets. Each year artists, musicians, and entertainers are invited to take part in our annual "Spring Festival". It's quite mild as far as festivals go, but it's a nice way to get the community warmed up and out their doors to take in some local culture.

I had finished my performance and was listening to another musician perform her first song after adjusting her amp settings to balance her keyboard and vocals) when someone from a nearby office came over and asked me to turn down the volume. Truth told, the volume was very low, as the amplifier being used was quite small, and since it wasn't my show I told the lady that it's not up to me. She didn't take that kindly.

She kept pursuing the issue and I kept telling her it's not up to me. She eventually left in a huff. It was a sad moment... leaving me wondering how she deals with all the loud motorcycles, trucks, ambulances and other common and frequent sounds so common to that area of town? The music was nowhere near as loud as a big truck or a single motorcycle; depending on one's preferences one might say the music was far more pleasant than all that racket.

There were a lot of people downtown enjoying the various performances throughout the day and out of those, this was the only example of a complaint that I've heard. The story is that it's the same every year. From where I'm sitting, the problem is that she chose the wrong location for her office.

The old saying that you can't please everyone is so clear. I guess that's a hazard in everything!