About 10 years ago I would get together every week with 3 other fellows, and we would work on a repertoire, some folk, some C/W, some early rock & roll, and some pop. We would volunteer to play at retirement homes about 3 times a year.

One fellow's mother was involved with the Masons and got us a 'paying' gig at their annual dinner. We arrived, listened at the door before we went in, and there was a soprano singing hymns. "They're going to get a surprise when we come in'" I said to the others (we were in jeans, those at the dinner were in formal wear).

We were finally let in and set up our borrowed PA system, tuned our instruments, and waited. There was an after dinner speaker, who went on and on interminably, and the audience was getting more and more fidgety..