Well, dear readers, we played our second to last show last night to a sold out house – good show and the audience really seemed to enjoy it. Lovely comments after, as has been the case all during the run. I knew quite a few people in attendance – two folks who worked the tech side of Dial ‘M’ for Murder, Barry Pearl and his ever-lovin’ Cindy and two friends of theirs, David Wechter and his ever-lovin’ Barbara, and John Kirby (he’s in The First Nudie Musical and is the son of actor Bruce and his brother was the late Bruno) – John was in a horrible accident this summer, run over in the Sherman Oaks Gelson’s parking lot by an eighty-four year old woman who should not have been allowed in the driver’s seat of any car. Not only did she hit him, rather than stop she continued to roll over him – I’m not an ageist, being of a certain age by myself, but this woman clearly was not equipped to drive. It is unknown if they’ve actually taken her license away but one can only hope. He suffered very bad injuries and they were originally going to operate and put pins in his legs, but in the end they didn’t, he toughed it out and healed completely and is walking without aid of anything – he’s an amazing guy. Also, friend Kevin Symons was there with his lovelier than lovely wife and Susan Watson was there were her hubby. We were originally told on Wednesday that we had thirty-five people coming tonight – well, no – sold out, same as last night and tomorrow we already have ten people on a waiting list.
Prior to that, I’d had a light breakfast, banked, put gas in the motor car, was dismayed to drive to Aaron Brothers only to find it out of business. So, I had to go searching for two ready-made frames I needed for two of our cast members. Then, to kill time, I drove to a fun used CD store I rarely go to. I got three or four four-dollar classical CDs and so far they are all winners. I came home, began playing the CDs, did some work on the computer (book notes), and laid low and happily avoided drama for the third day in a row and I cannot tell you how grateful I am for that. Then I got ready and moseyed on over to Tony’s Bella Vista to sup with the Wechters.
Shockingly, I hadn’t seen David for an entire year – we resolved to never let that happen again, and I hadn’t seen wife Barbara in two years. We had grand fun. Barbara had a chicken dish, David had a sausage and peppers sandwich and I had a salami and cheese sandwich that was so perfect that it was perfect. The sandwiches came with a tiny bit of spaghetti in red sauce and that was great, too. I then moseyed on over to the theater, while they stayed and had some coffee. Then we played our second to last show, I hung around and chatted with folks, and then came home, listened to music, and relaxed.
Today, we play our final show, a matinee. It’s oversold, has a waiting list and I’m hoping the cast remains sharp and focused and plays the show with high energy. I’ll have the big boy batch of tuna pasta salad with me. After the show, I’m sure I’ll hang out and chat with whoever I know, and then we have our cast partay at Doug’s house. Those things tend to go on for hours, but I won’t last that long.
Tomorrow is the last day of 2018. This year has flown by, like a gazelle binge watching McHale’s Navy. I’ll stay in, eat, hopefully pick up any mail or packages that may show up, and then we have our Annual New Year’s Rockin’ Eve Bash right here at haineshisway.com, the safest and most fun place to be to ring in the New Year with great friends. We’ll celebrate both balls dropping – one East Coast time and one West Coast time. I’ll do my usual year-end contemplation at eleven-thirty, and then we’ll countdown to 2019, after which I’ll have my obligatory single sip of champagne. New Year’s Day I will begin my new novel, which I’m looking forward to. The rest of the week will be writing, meetings and meals, a work session for the Kritzerland show, and whatever else needs doing.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, attend our final performance and then the cast partay. I will, of course, have a full report for you. Today’s topic of discussion: It’s free-for-all day, the day in which you dear readers get to make with the topics and we all get to post about them. So, let’s have loads of lovely topics and loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, already a bit sad that this current iteration of A Carol Christmas is coming to an end.