—by Lisa Handman

I received a very odd request recently from a man wanting to book me for a gig where I would have to pull double duty. He wanted me to play a private dinner at his house for him and his wife and additionally cook them dinner. This was going to be a surprise anniversary dinner for the couple. He went on to explain that they had a harpist at their wedding, and he wanted to resurrect the memory. Additional details were provided about the meal he wanted me to cook: salad, a surf and turf entrée, a surprise dessert of chef’s choosing, and a non-alcoholic beverage.

I did my due diligence and checked out his contact information to make sure this was not a scam, and also checked my calendar to make sure this was not 1950. Did he really expect me to pluck a few notes, and then go cook their steak? This was certainly not going to happen.

Out of all of the odd requests I have had in my career, this one takes the cake (no pun intended). Naturally, I explained that I was a professional harpist and not a chef, and that I was already booked on the requested date and time. He was persistent about securing my services, and asked if I was available any time that weekend. I turned him down again, and he wanted to know if I would be performing that weekend in a public venue where they could enjoy my music. That was the last I heard from the client. •