3. Deisha Oliver: Can't play her cello because some jerk sat on her bow and broke it
Deisha Oliver's cello and bow aren't special by objective standards.
"My instrument is not the best," she says. "It's low-end, intermediate."
They're nevertheless special to her.
She got them in college, when she saved up for both even before she had her first car.
Oliver played in several bands, as well as the Terre Haute Symphony in Indiana. But in recent years, she set her instrument aside as she concentrated on work and raising her daughter.
After recently losing her job as an assistant principal, Oliver says she started picking up cello gigs to supplement her income. Backstage last month at a show accompanying acclaimed local burlesque performer Vagina Jenkins, she left her cello and bow alone for a few minutes while she used the bathroom.
When she returned, her cello was knocked over and her bow was destroyed.
"It looks like it was cleaved in half," she says.
She believes someone may have sat on it by mistake, but she's not sure. The person who broke it didn't stick around long enough to say. "I'm pissed off that someone didn't own up to it," she says. "The bow is totaled. It's like losing a friend. ... We've been on adventures all over the place with one another."
Repairing the bow will cost at least $1,500. It's money she doesn't have – and will have a hard time earning because she can't do any gigs without a bow. She's already had to turn down one well-paying gig.
To make matters worse, the friends she performs with probably will lose gigs unless they can get Oliver's cello back in the ensemble.
In a final push to get a new bow prior to the holiday high season, she set up a page on Fundable.com under the name "Bring back the cello playing."
So far, donors have pledged $540, but Fundable will refund the donations unless pledges reach $1,000.
"I realize there are a ton of people out there who are harder up than I am," she says. "But I figured I had to be pro-active if I'm gonna get playing again. I have nothing to say but thank you."
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COMMENTS
RE: 3. Deisha Oliver: Can't play her cello because some jerk sat on her bow and broke it
Posted by secretsally on 11.21.08 @ 02:09 PM
ahhhh i feel bad saying this but . give me a break.
for the love of god just go to any retail music store and buy a student bow for under $100 until you get the other one repaired and start playing instead of all this nonsense.
RE: 3. Deisha Oliver: Can't play her cello because some jerk sat on her bow and broke it
Posted by secretsally on 11.21.08 @ 02:03 PM
I don't understand this. I am a cellist, and if my expensive bow broke i would play with the cheapest bow, or anything i could fucking find. until i got the money to fix it in the meantime....