How Not To Be Seen

R has two recitals each year for her singing students, one in December, the other in June. The Christmas recital was yesterday (Saturday). It is usually a stressful time for her, because she has to accompany the students in singing nearly 25 songs.

R had not told any of her students about being pregnant because she didn't want to lose valuable preparation time in their lessons talking about pregnancy. In fact, she hid it from them all the way until the end of the recital, when she finally made an announcement. She carried a binder around with her the entire time before the recital started, as a way to hide her bulging tummy. Nobody noticed. R picked up this handy trick from one of the piano teachers she works with. This lady managed to do a recital at 7 months pregnant without anyone noticing.

Eventually, people will notice. But if you don't say anything, they might feel awkward asking, in case they are mistaken.

We recently watched the Hugh Grant / Sandra Bullock movie Two Weeks Notice, which has just such an awkward situation. Hugh Grant interiews a prospective secretary and asks her a question about "the baby." The woman (who is obviously overweight) looks at him and says, "What baby?" Leaving him to "Hugh-Grant" his way out of the situation in his trademark uncomfortable way. If you haven't seen the film, you really needn't bother. Hugh Grant was funny, but that was the only thing going for it.

There are better ways to handle the situation, and R encountered one of them this week. At her other job, in which she helps record depositions and such for legal cases, she works with lawyers. This week, one of the lawyers (who obviously noticed her mildly protruding stomach) asked her if she had any children. This is a very diplomatic approach. I'll have to remember that one for the future. However, Hugh Grant should ignore this example and just keep doing what he's doing -- for the sake of comedy.

(For more detailed instructions about How Not To Be Seen, see the original video.)