Discretion

From an email message to the National Arts Centre, Ottawa:

My friend attended the Biss Mozart concert on Thursday night. I didn’t, but she has asked me to write to you on her behalf.

The situation was this:

My friend was invited by X to attend the concert.

At the last minute, X couldn’t attend, but wanted my friend to use his tickets. He then travelled to give her the tickets.

At the last minute, my friend contacted her friend Y, who happened to be working later, downtown, and was interested in attending the concert. They were to meet at the NAC.

She changed bags before heading downtown, and left the tickets in the bag in which she had placed them, after receiving them from X.

She arrived at the NAC, only to discover that she didn’t have the tickets, and Y was on his way to meet her, to attend the concert with her.

My friend was late for the concert, and so expected to be seated later, once Y had arrived. She explained her situation to an usher. She offered to return to the NAC the next day, to show the tickets.

The usher believed my friend, said it was not necessary for her to prove later what she said that night, and seated her, once Y had arrived. Both enjoyed the concert very much, including the later discussions with Biss, Zuckerman and Paul Wells.

My friend does not get to the NAC that much, and is not that familiar with classical music. Attending the concert at the NAC was a major event for her. The discretion of your usher, believing my friend, resulted in a most important occasion for her.

Thank you very, very much.