Saturday, January 31, 2009

Quien sabe?

Will he? Won't he? Will they? Won't they? Who knows?!?

I just got back home after teaching my first beginning bridge lesson in a little more than a year. I had just a ton of fun! But, let's go back to see how all of this started.


It was just this past Wednesday (the 28th) when I received an e-mail from someone inquiring about bridge lessons and who had read on-line the fact that I was an accredited bridge teacher. I responded in what was - not normal for me - a serious and professional manner, stating what I charged per hour, asking if the person wanted to be 'fast-tracked', etc., and not really expecting to hear another word.

[I get lots of these types of inquiries. Most, it's been my experience, are just "suspects" - as opposed to "prospects" - and will waste inordinate amounts of time (theirs and yours!) unless you just 'cut them off at the pass', as it were.]

Well, this young man followed up. In fact, he wanted their - only two of them, he told me - first lesson to be today. (!)


OK. I arrived. Took three books with me, just in case another person showed up. And - sure enough - there was a third person there.

What fun! All young men - nearly 50 years my junior, each of them - of diverse backgrounds, but ALL with no bridge-playing experience whatsoever!! A beginning bridge teacher's idea of heaven, I kid you not.

I was prepared for ANYthing, but what I was met with just titillated my imagination into overload. I mean, I saw possibilities for this threesome!


At the end of the lesson, I gave them their assignments and told them exactly what to expect for the start of our next session ... was all poised to write down the date for our next meeting when I was met with this MOST awkward silence. Really, I didn't know what to make of it!

I can absolutely guarantee you that we had a good first lesson. Maybe even better than my average, which is saying something! (Not really trying to overtoot my own horn here, but I am a great teacher!! Truly, I am.)


So, what happened? (They all said something about schedules, conflicts, etc. and et al, all of which might certainly be true, but at this point I'm left wondering about what else they might have expected for a two-hour session. Surely they didn't expect to learn the intriguingly-complex game of bridge in just two hours??)

I don't know. I'll be sending a followup e-mail to my initial contact, telling him how much I enjoyed the session, etc. and blah. Will keep you posted.

7 comments:

Tammy said...

That's strange. Yes, keep us posted!

Craig Peihopa said...

Excellent, what were those rates? Hmm factor in airfares and accommodation, lio hire and give me a tally for three lessons!

hehehe

Craig Peihopa said...

that should have said Limo! not lio. Sorry!

Goldenrod said...

The heat must be really getting to you down there, Craig. That would be one really expensive mini-series of lessons, wouldn't it?

steven said...

i bet they'll be back!!!!
steven

Goldenrod said...

Hello, again. Tis I!

Got an e-mail back from my initial contact, (thankfully) confirming what I had already posted.

More later, if and when.

Goldenrod said...

BTW, Steven, you'd have won the bet!