The Time I Answered The Toilet Stall Ad

The Time I Answered The Toilet Stall Ad

Taking chances changes your life. These chances can be loud and in your face, and some are subtle. Deciding where to go to college, who to marry, those are big decisions. Deciding to call a number on a piece of paper stuck to the inside of a toilet stall door, that could go either way. Maybe nothing comes of it, and maybe something really wonderful happens.

It was the year 2000, and I was sitting in the basement bathroom of the law library at the University of Michigan. I wasn’t a student there but my husband (at the time) was. We were told at the beginning of law school, “Law is a jealous mistress.” And especially law school. As I was reflecting on these warnings, I read the paper staring at me — HEADNOTES TRYOUTS. It turns out Headnotes was an a capella group for law students. I wasn’t a law student, but I thought an a capella group sounded amazing. So I called. I explained that I wasn’t a student, just supporting one, but I had experience, and the law student director told me to show up for tryouts.

At the time, I was working as an engineer making breakfast cereal and baking mixes. I was also not from Michigan or the east coast, not a law student and not Jewish. All of those factors made me an exotic specimen, but I didn’t realize that when I showed up. I didn’t know enough to worry. I just wanted to sing and meet other people and find something fun to do while law, the jealous mistress, was occupying my spouse’s time.

I was chosen as a member of Headnotes and was now officially part of something on campus. I belonged! It turns out “headnotes” is a pun related to a law term and the fact that we were singing notes out of our heads. I never took the time to understand the law part of the pun, but I’m sure it’s clever. Also, speaking of clever, if you’ve ever been around law students, you know they go by the titles of 1L, 2L or 3L, indicating what year they are in the program. Since I was none of those, I was designated “No L”. Do you see the pun again? Man, these lawyers are clever!! I joke, but these were and are some of the smartest people I’ve ever been around.

Our director, Jeff, was extremely talented as a human beat box. I’d never seen anyone sound just like a drum set before. He could also take any popular song and turn it into a four-part harmony plus create the instrumental sounds with the right combinations of vowels and consonants. Reflecting back on how he combined U2 and Pinball Wizard, that was some cool shit. Describing our music doesn’t do it justice. I don’t know how good it really sounded to others, but as someone in the middle of the group singing it and hearing it, it was heaven. I sure hope Jeff isn’t stuck behind a desk somewhere.

Practice was one of my favorite parts of the week. I loved the people and the singing. We were all there to escape. It’s been over twenty years, and I can still remember Matt singing In The Name of Love at the top of his lungs. I remember singing a Russian classical song with tight harmony in the foyer where the acoustics put the sound in every part of your body. It was slow and melancholy and I still feel it today (Side note: If you’ve never been on the U of M law campus, you are missing out. The law library — the old and the new — and the law quad are an architecture-lover’s dream). We also sang I Will Remember You at the University of Michigan law school graduation in 2001. The university asked Sarah McLachlan’s people if they could use the recording of us as part of the admissions video. They were denied, but it was still a feather in our (graduation) cap.

We recorded a CD, and I still have mine. It doesn’t play anymore, but I don’t need physical proof. What I learned and experienced has stayed with me. I took a chance on a message on the back of toilet stall. I was part of an amazing group of people who taught me about other cultures, new music, new ways of belonging. It remains one of the coolest things I’ve ever done. So, don’t miss those subtle opportunities. Take a chance! Call the number, write the email, send the text, buy the ticket. You never know!