Never, ever, yawn

A few months ago I started to learn the cello through the East London Late Starters Orchestra. For the last 2 months, I've been forced to see something that I've tried to avoid for years: an early Saturday morning.

Yesterday, we were rehersing the pieces we're doing for our December concert. And since, as a complete beginner, and a 3rd cello (i.e. we mighty 3rd cellos play only 4 different notes, with great gaping rests in the music, where we sit there. Playing nothing). As the conductor was busying himslef hassling the 1st and 2nd orchestra members... I started to look around the room, watching people, being bored, and since I was pretty tired from a stressful week, and lets face it, still hung over from my Friday night, I, shock horror, yawned.

Big fucking mistake.

All the way in the back, me, not making a single peep, and only yawning for fucks sake, managed to get the full wrath of the most arsey, rude, and horrid conductor I've ever met. His head swivelled round, ad stopping mid tirade at the viola section said to me in the most sarcastic tone: "I'm sorry, but am I keeping you awake? Am I boring you?". oh fuck.. I wanted to say "Well yes. You wrote this music, and we have 3 notes. For the whole piece. You are rubbish." But instead, I just hung my head in the shame I'd not felt since being told off in primary school, and kept all future yawns stifled.

Bollocks.