Confirmation in Six Weeks.

I woke Tuesday morning to a crisis. All the fish and shrimp in my aquarium were dying. I could tell the water was lacking in oxygen. Luckily I have some aerators and I put them into the tank immediately and called Costin.

Then I went to my appointment with Dr. Shoja. It was awful. It was perhaps my worst visit ever. I could not talk and I was a convulsive wreck. The muscles in my neck were so tight that every time my neck moved I could hear bones scraping together. Even Dr. Shoja could hear it. I felt better when I left and by then I could get single words out. Next week I start physiotherapy, thank God.

When I got home, Costin came over to help my get my tank back in order. We found the problem: A plugged intake on the filter.

And today brought pretty good news from Ravenna. My buddy Bruce should be home soon to start his therapy. I can hardly wait to see him.

On the dress front, I’ve a much better opening and I’ve even had the time to add the word “mother” to the defiant dress (see above). Now I’ve put all my arts supplies away so that from now until June 19^th I work on the script.

I’ve decided (and contradictions are unwelcome) that the Arts Club will say yes. I have several reasons for my conviction:

First of all, the decision is Rachel’s and Bill’s and Rachel has called my idea “brilliant” and Bill — well he’s been a friend and a mentor of mine since 1972. I’m not saying he will say Yes because of our friendship and history, I’m saying he will be predisposed to a yes if he can. That’s all: If he can.

Second: It’s innovative and unique. Have you ever heard of any other play/visual art exhibition hybrid? It is theatre in motion, it’s improvisational as well as scripted and the fourth wall doesn’t exist. Plus: The first act is in the theatre lobby and there is no curtain call.

Third: It’s cheap to produce. It’s two actors and there’s no set. Plus, ten of the thirteen major properties are already built and the rest soon will be.

Fourth (but this is a bit of a stretch): It’s entertainment. It’s fun and silly. Yes there’s a minor intellectual/ethical issue giving the play a tiny amount of purpose but primarily it is a romp. This is reason for hope, to me, because I am sick of theatre as therapy or as social advocate. I’m overexposed to the angst of disease, poverty, indigenous issues etcetera, only because it is so often so strident.

And fifth — and yes, this is a huge stretch: Because of the bookending aspect to it that I wrote about in my previous post.

Yes, I know they can say no. But they are not going to.

I’ve never been confident but I do have experience with unwarranted conviction. In my twenties I designed a theatre for the City and District of North Vancouver. Then I raised all the money to build it, oversaw its construction and ran it for six years. I also founded an art gallery in the same building that now enjoys an incredible international reputation and is soon to open a brand spanking new building on the waterfront.

My point: I’d never used tools. And obviously I’m not an architect and I’d never raised funds before but two mayors and municipal councils and the local arts council believed in a man who, for no justifiable reason, was soul-deep con-vinced he could do it.

A(r)mour: The Defiant Dress is going to be optioned by the Arts Club. You wait. No question. Confirmation in six weeks.