--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In due course I would learn how to cover…" description: "\"“In due course I would learn how to cover up for this event, but on that awful day I knew of nothing to say but: 'Well, I guess they aren't going to do..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d77/karen-pryor-39019_applause_in-due-course-i-would-learn-how-to-cover_8296.jpg" --- # In due course I would learn how to cover up for this… ![“In due course I would learn how to cover up for this event, but on that awful day I knew of nothing to say but: 'Well, I guess they aren't going to do that either, heh, heh." FINALLY Hoku and Kiko stopped staring suspiciously through the glass long enough to go over the six bars, gracefully arcing…” quote by Karen Pryor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d77/karen-pryor-39019_applause_in-due-course-i-would-learn-how-to-cover_8296.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d77/karen-pryor-39019_applause_in-due-course-i-would-learn-how-to-cover_8296.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d77/karen-pryor-39019_applause_in-due-course-i-would-learn-how-to-cover_8296.jpg) > ““In due course I would learn how to cover up for this event, but on that awful day I knew of nothing to say but: 'Well, I guess they aren't going to do that either, heh, heh." FINALLY Hoku and Kiko stopped staring suspiciously through the glass long enough to go over the six bars, gracefully arcing in and out of the water against the glass, making the beautiful picture they were supposed to. I waved frantically at Chris to stop right there, to quit while we were ahead. I thanked the politely clapping audience and suggested they come back in a month and see what Hoku and Kiko could really do (I didn't have the courage to order them to KEEP clapping, and louder, please, so that Hoku and Kiko would do the applause jump). Then I yanked out the mike plug, raced down the ladder into the trainers' little sitting room underneath the stage, and took up smoking again.”” [Karen Pryor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-pryor/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A performer reflects on a chaotic, improvisational moment, feeling pressure to manage audience expectations while grappling with personal anxiety and the urge to escape. **In simple terms:** Managing performance anxiety and improvisation. Key Takeaway Authenticity over forced applause. Themes performance anxiety improvisation audience expectations self-doubt escape behavior Mood tense reflective humorous Type anecdotal observational self‑critical When to use this quote - live shows - public speaking - creative rehearsals - high‑stakes presentations - spontaneous events Key Concepts stagecraft psychology of performance social pressure Practical Applications - coaching performers to embrace uncertainty - designing resilient performance protocols Questions to Reflect On - How can you balance authenticity with audience expectations? - What strategies help you stay present when improvisation is required? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Applause](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/applause/) [Awful Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/awful-day/) [Dolphin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dolphin/) [Training](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/training/) ## Related quotes > [“The porpoises and whale themselves, in their quests for entertainment, often created problems. One summer a fashion developed in the training tanks (I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-pryor/the-porpoises-and-whale-themselves-in-their-quests-for-entertainment/) [Karen Pryor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-pryor/) > [“I close my eyes and I let my body shut itself down and I let my mind wander. It wanders to a familiar place.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-frey/i-close-my-eyes-and-i-let-my-body-shut-itself-down-and-i-let-my-mind/) [James Frey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-frey/) > [“God stirs the air and raises the winds; He makes the lightning flash and thunders out of heaven, to move the inhabitants of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bede-the-venerable/god-stirs-the-air-and-raises-the-winds-he-makes-the-lightning-flash/) [Bede the Venerable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bede-the-venerable/) > [I was in New York City on 9/11. Grief remains from that awful day, but not only grief. There is fear, too, a fear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teju-cole/i-was-in-new-york-city-on-9-11-grief-remains-from-that-awful-day-but/) [Teju Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teju-cole/) > [Altamont... I remember all of that. That was an awful day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mick-taylor/altamont-i-remember-all-of-that-that-was-an-awful-day/) [Mick Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mick-taylor/) > [I wash my hands, wonder how an awful day could turn even worse. It seems like at some point you'd just run out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-stockett/i-wash-my-hands-wonder-how-an-awful-day-could-turn-even-worse-it/) [Kathryn Stockett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-stockett/) > [I shall never forget the despair and agony on the parents' faces on the awful day of the funeral when the 13 little children,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-shall-never-forget-the-despair-and-agony-on-the-parents-faces-on/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“HAMM: Yesterday! What does that mean? Yesterday! CLOV (violently): That means that bloody awful day, long ago, before this bloody awful day. I use…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/hamm-yesterday-what-does-that-mean-yesterday-clov-violently-that/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Dean Owen did what a lot of reporters seem to have forgotten how to do these days, he asked the people who were there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-schieffer/dean-owen-did-what-a-lot-of-reporters-seem-to-have-forgotten-how-to/) [Bob Schieffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-schieffer/) > [Survival is the main objective. There are going to be some awful days, I know that from my background in the sport.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-millar/survival-is-the-main-objective-there-are-going-to-be-some-awful-days/) [David Millar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-millar/) > [“He rubbed the ugly, jagged scar that ran from the corner of his eye to his hairline just above his ear. He was glad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-connealy/he-rubbed-the-ugly-jagged-scar-that-ran-from-the-corner-of-his-eye-to/) [Mary Connealy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-connealy/) > [When you're still having an awful day begging for help while praying, you're still healing from all the numbers of problems what you had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bigheartedperson/when-you-re-still-having-an-awful-day-begging-for-help-while-praying/) BigHeartedPerson > [Besides the obvious difference, there was not much distinction between losing a best friend and losing a lover: it was all about intimacy. One…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/besides-the-obvious-difference-there-was-not-much-distinction-between/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [If the death of Osama Bin Laden brings any peace to those who lost loved ones on that awful day in September 2001, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-rollins/if-the-death-of-osama-bin-laden-brings-any-peace-to-those-who-lost/) [Henry Rollins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-rollins/) > [“I was occupied so entirely by each day, I felt detached from anything so large as a month or a year. History didn't cross…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/i-was-occupied-so-entirely-by-each-day-i-felt-detached-from-anything/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) ## More by Karen Pryor > [ “As he \[Sir Malcolm Sargeant, conductor of the London Philharmonic\] stood in waist deep in the shallows of Whaler's Cove, the littler spinners came… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-pryor/as-he-sir-malcolm-sargeant-conductor-of-the-london-philharmonic-stood/) [Karen Pryor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-pryor/) > [“One reason punishment doesn't usually work is that it does not coincide with the undesirable behavior; it occurs afterward, and sometimes, as in courts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-pryor/one-reason-punishment-doesn-t-usually-work-is-that-it-does-not/) [Karen Pryor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-pryor/) > [“Nancy taught two hens to help her sort flowers to make leis. She set them down by a basket of three colors of plastic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-pryor/nancy-taught-two-hens-to-help-her-sort-flowers-to-make-leis-she-set/) [Karen Pryor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-pryor/) > [“I couldn't help wondering where porpoises had learned this game of running on the bows of ships. Porpoises have been swimming in the oceans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-pryor/i-couldn-t-help-wondering-where-porpoises-had-learned-this-game-of/) [Karen Pryor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-pryor/) > [“Training is a loop, a two-way communication in which an event at one end of the loop changes events at the other, exactly like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-pryor/training-is-a-loop-a-two-way-communication-in-which-an-event-at-one/) [Karen Pryor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-pryor/) > [“I griped about it at lunch one day to Bill Weist and Dr. Leslie Squier, our visiting psychologists from Reed College. I'd been trying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-pryor/i-griped-about-it-at-lunch-one-day-to-bill-weist-and-dr-leslie-squier/) [Karen Pryor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-pryor/) > [“My idea of recreation in those busy years, was to leave the porpoise training for an hour or two, round up a bunch of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-pryor/my-idea-of-recreation-in-those-busy-years-was-to-leave-the-porpoise/) [Karen Pryor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-pryor/) > [“The porpoises and whale themselves, in their quests for entertainment, often created problems. One summer a fashion developed in the training tanks (I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-pryor/the-porpoises-and-whale-themselves-in-their-quests-for-entertainment/) [Karen Pryor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-pryor/) > [“that aversives stop behavior, they don’t start it; and”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-pryor/that-aversives-stop-behavior-they-don-t-start-it-and/) [Karen Pryor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-pryor/) > [“...that aversives stop behavior, they don’t start it; and that fear and pain produce completely unpredictable and usually highly undesirable side effects, including being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-pryor/that-aversives-stop-behavior-they-don-t-start-it-and-that-fear-and/) [Karen Pryor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-pryor/) [Explore all 11 Karen Pryor quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-pryor/) ## More Applause quotes > [I don't crave applause. I'm not one of those guys who comes alive on stage. I'm much more alive at home, I think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-don-t-crave-applause-i-m-not-one-of-those-guys-who-comes-alive-on/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [“An applause is not just the recognition of good performance, but its proof of being different than the crowd.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/an-applause-is-not-just-the-recognition-of-good-performance-but-its/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [“i nod to the other will grayson, up onstage. he nods to me. we have something between us, him and me. but the truth?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/i-nod-to-the-other-will-grayson-up-onstage-he-nods-to-me-we-have/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [ All the shows we did pre-airdate, and I'd come out - "Rob Lowe!" - and it was \[Offers bored applause.\] After the show aired?… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-lowe/all-the-shows-we-did-pre-airdate-and-i-d-come-out-rob-lowe-and-it-was/) [Rob Lowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-lowe/) > [“Those who do soul work, who want the searing truth more than solace or applause, know each other right away. Those who want something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rumi/those-who-do-soul-work-who-want-the-searing-truth-more-than-solace-or/) [Rumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rumi/) > [It is clear that the future of freedom and peace depend on the actions of America. This nation is freedom's home, and freedom's defender.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/it-is-clear-that-the-future-of-freedom-and-peace-depend-on-the/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [The logic of worldly success rests on a fallacy: the strange error that our perfection depends on the thoughts and opinions and applause of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/the-logic-of-worldly-success-rests-on-a-fallacy-the-strange-error/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) > [“Upon common theaters, indeed, the applause of the audience is of more importance to the actors than their own aprobation. But upon the stage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adams/upon-common-theaters-indeed-the-applause-of-the-audience-is-of-more/) [John Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adams/) > [If anyone ever boos you off stage, that is simply applause from ghosts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-needles/if-anyone-ever-boos-you-off-stage-that-is-simply-applause-from-ghosts/) [Sharon Needles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-needles/) > [“A magician must always value his magic effects more than himself, because after few years audience may not remember his name but they will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/a-magician-must-always-value-his-magic-effects-more-than-himself/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [When I got through, Duke Ellington stood up and started the applause.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-brown/when-i-got-through-duke-ellington-stood-up-and-started-the-applause/) [Ruth Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-brown/) > [The beauteous dragonfly's dancing By the waves of the rivulet glancing; She dances here and she dances there, The glimmering, glittering flutterer fair. Full…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heinrich-heine/the-beauteous-dragonfly-s-dancing-by-the-waves-of-the-rivulet/) [Heinrich Heine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heinrich-heine/) > [You can copy, but hold the applause you get the satisfaction of mind can not](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/you-can-copy-but-hold-the-applause-you-get-the-satisfaction-of-mind/) Mak\_786 > [Qv5YUc A round of applause for your blog.Really looking forward to read more. Awesome.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oem-software-buy/qv5yuc-a-round-of-applause-for-your-blog-really-looking-forward-to/) Oem Software Buy > [A round of applause for your article. Fantastic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/social/a-round-of-applause-for-your-article-fantastic/) Social [Browse all 556 Applause quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/applause/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“In due course I would learn how to cover up for this event, but on that awful day I knew of nothing to say but: 'Well, I guess they aren't going to do that either, heh, heh.\" FINALLY Hoku and Kiko stopped staring suspiciously through the glass long enough to go over the six bars, gracefully arcing in and out of the water against the glass, making the beautiful picture they were supposed to. I waved frantically at Chris to stop right there, to quit while we were ahead. I thanked the politely clapping audience and suggested they come back in a month and see what Hoku and Kiko could really do (I didn't have the courage to order them to KEEP clapping, and louder, please, so that Hoku and Kiko would do the applause jump). 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