The Whale has an annoying habit of ringing me on my mobile if ever I'm out for a couple of hours. The call usually comes just as we reach the village.

Last night CC and I went to a concert in town with some friends. My clarinet teacher,with his group, Tziganesh, was performing Klezmer and gypsy music.

I warned CC that concerts don't start on time and, sure enough, it was well past 9 before the lights went down and the stage lights heralded the appearance of the band. There was a young lad of 17 playing the accordeon, Thibault on clarinet, and two older chaps on drums and double bass.

It took the audience a few numbers before they were 'warmed up' but soon lots of people were clapping to the changing tempi. After an interval the trombonist turned up but the violinist couldn't be there. He is the one who explains the history of the music but my friend whispered information as we went along as she'd seen them the week before.

By eleven o'clock everyone was really in the mood and then I heard my mobile ringing in the depths of my handbag. I fumbled for it, answered and then hung up immediately. It was our home number. Surely the Whale wouldn't phone us during a concert. Perhaps something was wrong. It was impossible to push my way outside to phone back but CC was convinced 'It's just dad. Don't worry.'

I managed to turn off the incoming call alert just in time before the next ring and CC turned her phone off altogether. There were five more 'silent' calls to my phone and each time I answered and turned the phone towards the band so that he could hear that the concert was still in full swing. As soon as the  encores were over and we were outside I rang home and Jay answered.

'Is there a problem?' I asked.

'No, it's just dad.' was the exasperated response. Enough said.

On the way home CC answered another call. I heard her say 'Dad, it's very embarrassing to have phonecalls during a concert.. . . .'

Once indoors we found a rather redfaced Whale in bed. He complained that someone else had answered when he dialled CC's number - the answerphone perhaps - and when he rang me all he heard was Jewish music.