Tonight, Tracy, Naomi, Michael and I went to see the play Nighttime Survival Guide. I bought the tickets and I originally thought the play started at 7. Then I started questioning myself and went to verify. I saw on the website the shows start at 8. So I thought, "Okay, doors at 7 show at 8" like all of the burlesque shows and some plays I have been to. Makes sense.
We decided on dinner at Bardenay and had a lovely dinner with laughs and good food and headed over to the theater. WE got there at 7:08.. plenty of time to find our seats and get settled. Except, the show started at 7pm! It was already going and we weren't allowed in until intermission. We were welcome to sit in the lobby and listen to the play over the speaker. That is what we decided to. I sat close to the speaker, closed my eyes and listened closely. Such a fun story. Listening to the play this way reminded me of being a kid and listening to stories on the radio. I just wished I could see the puppets that I knew were on the stage. This particular play had humans and well as puppets. The puppets were "monsters" that were under Vern's bed (that he was afraid of). I was having a great time experiencing the play in this way. Then intermission hit.
We found our seats in a nearly empty theater for the closing show. I saw and heard my friend in different capacities during what was left of the play. The 2nd "half" was not really the half and was very short. I was disappointed. However, we did get to see one of the three puppets, and it was amazing! (I used to do puppets and even wanted to major in puppetry!) I was captured in magic world of monsters and a friendship forged all the way across the world via letters, phones and then the internet. Then like a punch to the gut, I realize this wasn't some cute little innocuous story about kids forming a friendship and monsters under the bed....but about surviving grief or even the thought of losing a father by having a friend by your side. There is no such thing as "monsters under your bed" but there are monsters in this world.. the kind of monsters that leave you in a ball crying and missing someone you love. And just like that, my happy magical world came crashing down.. sorta. Just like that I was confronted with my monster, a car with 4 wheels with an 83 year old woman behind the wheel. But I also saw the poetry in THIS night. I saw the poetry in seeing this play with our best friend at our sides... the same man who has been by our sides at the worst times in our lives/marriage. He has also been here at our best. As I held Naomi and Tracy's hands, I saw the beauty in all of this and tears fell from my face.
Indeed..the only way to face a monster is with your best friend at your side, and I am very grateful for Michael. I am grateful for my other friends who have been here through the worst time in my life. I am grateful for those that remain.
When we left and started talking about the play and the puppets, I felt the spark of magic that theater gives me. I have always been a theater geek even though I never got to be part of the theater in high school. I was bit by the bug in church doing musicals and major puppet productions as a child and teen. I went to college for storytelling. And now as a burlesque performer, I use that skill to tell stories in my performances (even if no words are ever used). I think I need to go back to college and get my theater degree. I have been mulling it over for a couple of years, but the brain injury has been keeping me back. But tonight, I realized, I would have given my left arm to be able to part of this play with the puppets. If I go back to school and get my theater degree, then maybe next time there are puppets involved, I can be there!
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