Meanwhile Back In Astoria

We've been back a week. The pictures in my head of the things that we did on vacation are still vivid enough that I can close my eyes and summon the memories as if they were as fresh as yesterday. I really need that too because this week they have me working at a great play - but it's a show that requires a lot of patience and perserverence dealing with the public.

I'm not going to say which show because I don't want to implicate anybody or give anyone ideas about how to jam up theater management.

The subject matter is attracting an older somewhat harder of hearing patronage and much to my dismay they are all crabby. That's not always the case. I've spent some time working at Journey's End and those patrons were all lovely. It's a similar demographic.

These patrons - woof. Last night, I got several complaints about my equipment. Two people were so insistent that the manager gave them the option to come back again and see the show for free. I work very hard to make sure my equipment is functioning properly before the show. There's a playback that can only be heard by my patrons that plays before the show to help the patrons adjust and test their headset. In spite of all those efforts, people still complained. What more can I do? It's the failing of the equipment.

Now. If the show had an intermission, that would be a different creature. Because then the patrons could exchange their headsets for better ones if the need arose. I'm not looking forward to today. Traditionally, the Wednesday matine attracts the nastiest patrons.

But while we're on the subject of patrons, they've got some nerve. I offer free freaking service. They aren't "entitled" to use the headsets. The ADA requires that facilities make accessible activities that were not previously accessible by the physically challenged. I don't think, being slightly hard of hearing qualifies as being truly disabled.

Don't get me wrong. I've got patrons who have some serious hearing loss. But for the most part, they're just people who want to hear a little bit better.

I've never seen so many people get so up in arms about a free service.