Sympathy Pain

I was getting ready to leave to strike the wiz…no, that’s not a euphemism…Saturday night. We got the show off and defeated the evil swine flu. Now it was time to begin the strike process. This is usually the 2 hours after the last show. Taking set pieces down, getting rented items ready to return, and discovering what damage the show has done to the space. Fun stuff. You also have to deal with the actors and techs celebrating the last show. There are pictures to be taken, small props and costumes to be stolen for souvenirs, so on.

So it’s Saturday night. Jack is playing Madden 08 on the Wii. I’m getting the energy up to go to the theatre.

“All right, Jack, I have to go to strike. See you in the morning.”

“Can I go with you?”

I was not ready for the question. He wanted to go to work with me. I was taken aback.

“Um…sure…but you have to listen. There’s going to be a lot going on, and it would be really easy to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.”

“I will”

So off we go. We caught the last ¾ of the show. He loved it. The kids did a great job. It really was a good show for them to be proud of.

Strike began. He pulled up tape off the floor and helped coil power cable. He also helped direct dome of the teenagers as to where things were and needed to go. He learned that teen agers speak in…colorful metaphors. He also listened very well and was never where he shouldn’t be, which is more than I can say for most of the students.

We had a blast. We did have a talk about the cursing. He really enjoyed the evening. I, of course, was very proud.

God…Please don’t let him go into theatre. I need him to take care of me when I’m old.