CHURAK'S PALACE

[Churak]

It had to happen, someday. The municipal philharmonic symphony and
chorus were rehearsing Symphony No. 9 by Ludwig Von Beethoven. Since
the chorus doesn't enter until the final movement, the singers were
becoming very bored - especially the men in the back row. Then the
basses had a clever idea. During break, they tied a nylon fishline
around the conductor's score, 4 pages prior to the beginning of the
last movement. They ran the line up through a roof vent, across the
street and down into Joe's tavern. This allowed them to relax at the
bar chugging brews, and when the line jerked, they could run across
the street and take their places in the chorus at the precise time.
Their plan worked flawlessly, especially when the conductor paused
before continuing, to have the trombones, who were playing somewhat
flat, tune their instruments. So all singers were in readiness as
the conductor raised his baton.
Well.....almost all... except for two men who had earlier passed
out at the bar.
And so this became the first case in musical history where it was
the bottom of the ninth, the basses were loaded, the score was tied,
there were two out, the leadoff man was up and the inside pitch
was low.