While I was down in the area of Charlotte, North Carolina I took two trips. 

The first was up to Roanoke, VA. for a week:

I headed up north into the mountains and as soon as I could see the valley below, the thankfully borrowed car ‘went south’.  Well, lost power as I sensed and responded with a gentle get to the right shoulder maneuver.   I sat for a moment reflecting on a conversation I’d had with my aunt – who was apparently concerned about her old car’s potential and we laughed as I boasted of my new AAA card, an insignificant conversation, until now, become relevant as if I’d said to the universe, “Okay, bring it on!”  The AAA lady inquired where I was and I was somewhere between Charlotte and Roanoke of which the exact location was indeterminate.  Oh, I could see that I was up above and there was a city down below, but which city had been passed last was not something I had noticed, eyes fixed on the open road,  and my head already arriving at the not yet reached destination.   I traced the letters of informative road signs not seen or read.  I searched my mind for some marker or landmark.  Anything.  Then SHE asked, “Do you see a mileage marker?”  I knew if I couldn’t it would mean getting out of the vehicle and onto a slim ‘shoulder’ , at night,  to walk potentially almost a mile for that  would be ‘crumb on my path’, little insightful green and white beacon of ‘well there you are, dummy!’    How very unhelpful that Travel First Aid Kit seemed to snicker.  Then, behold, my eyes descended straight before me.  A cheerful green and white sign with the number “4″.  And with relief, the AAA lady said, “You’re 4 miles into Virginia”.  Well, “Halleluia!” I am.  Soon thereafter a tow truck took me to a nearby town, and we left my dutiful borrowed car to be examined the following day. I set up camp and lingered, at a nearby diner, for a meal on wax paper covering a black plastic tray and an eclectic mix at the salad bar of ambrosia, shrimp, fried foods, bean salads, jello and anything else you could think of that might combined to a frightening experience in the intestines.  I topped it off with chocolate cake-like stacked squares spliced with ice cream and luke warm fudge something-r-other, so as to complete my Showney’s  culinary experience as if the dessert might serve as proof that it had been proceeded by a meal!  I stayed at a hotel and with luck the borrowed car was up and running the next day to bring me to Roanoke, VA.  

There, in the charming town of Roanoke, born and bread was an old friend, in fact my ‘first love’ from adolescence – from my years traveling abroad to the Soviet Union.  We had not seen each other since some visits around the age of nineteen.

Roanoke has a church that sounds a series of songs, chiming at 5pm Saturday, filling the streets with its cheerful repertoire.  There are old brick buildings and this one modern, futuristic building springing up between them like a spaceship parallel parked and most likely its filled with art.    Above those there sits a large Elizabethan structure, and various bridges, for feet and wheels leading from downtown to the centers of technology and business. 

My friend, who here will go by the name of Floyd, lives just a mile from town in a large four-plex that stands proud with columns in the front and a grassy yard behind with two lovely gazebos.  In his fairly neat apartment resides a very large white cat with one shriveled ear and an expressive nub where a tail never was.  She discovers my red suitcase laid flat, usually unzipped with the top flap angled inward on itself, – to be her ideal comfort spot for the entire week that I was there.  (Luckily, I was not allergic.)  Floyd works like a dog at a popular restaurant in town, called Zack’s, at which he cooks and manages as he manages to hardly stop working as he earns a simple living and practically resides at his place of hard work..  As an excellent cook he kept my stomach in rapture and since he worked late, we talked late and I stumbled later and later into each day.  It was exhausting to reconnect with the past in the present.  I wish I could report that the love was rekindled, but time and life has taken us down different roads and at this crossroad, both were in plain sight.  I searched in his eyes and expressions for the boy of my youth, and aside from flickering glimpses, saw mostly an older, weathered and tired man – something of a shadow of his former self.  We enjoyed our exchange of intellect, humor, common interests, food, poetry and music.   I watched as the hopeful colors faded in his eyes, the clouds gathering at our feet and myself disappeared into the fog, with a heavy heart , to rejoin the solitary road in my sturdy borrowed car – my mind already arriving at the not yet reached destination, the city whence I came, Charlotte.

(The second trip I will save for the next chronicle… )

Posted: March 24th, 2008 under NY Chronicles.
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February 22, 2008

A BIG HUG AND HELLO!

I landed in NY safely a week ago. After much preparation,sleepless nights in combination with the time change, I was prettywiped out. It took a few foggy head days to acclimate. Of courseI arrived on Valentine’s Day. I went to my favorite NY restaurant”Mundo” (Turkish/Argentinian)– saw my friend sing sultry songs forlovers, and got treated to an amazing meal and cooked chocolatemouse with the house staff.

On Friday I went to the After Party club, at the Lorrie Beechman theater, a piano/cabaret bar, open mic for musical theater singers. Broadway actors come to sing, hang out and in a low key way – promote their show. So its somewhat performing for your peers (amateurs and professionals mixed) The night I went I just went to observe (next time I’ll get up and sing). The cast of Lion King was there. This drag queen Kitty who was his ‘boy self’ that night, sang the “Circle of Life” as a tongue and cheek spoof.. A skinny white guy sort of pretending he was a big black woman. He had a great voice and was hilarious!  Saturday night I spent the evening with some Broadway actor friendsof Jason & Raina (my former Bay Area buddies that I’m staying with). Their friends were house sitting at Gary Beech’s place, atony award winning actor – who is touring as King Arthur inSpamalot. We hung out and watched movies with his female blackpoodle -Charlie . One of the guys was in another production of”On The Twentieth Century” (which I was in at AMT, San Jose) withJudy Blazer playing the lead. She was wonderful to work with, an amazing talent. It turns out the role I had played in ourproduction – in his was played by Kathleen Turner.I have been getting to know the subway, the city lay out and howauditions work. Its all pretty crazy. I get up at the crack of dawn, get on the subway, and get to an audition where I get inline to sign up on a list to hopefully be seen hours later. ThenI go to another one across town, then back to the first one to seeif my name was called, then back to the first or a third orfourth. I am awaiting my official actor’s union card – and until thatpoint I fall between union and non-union. I get some privileges and not others. You can wait for 6 hours and not get seen. That is why actors are great at knitting!! Sometimes its all a matter of timing – a gamble which one to go to when and then if they have a great monitor – you have a better chance of getting seen. What a crazy business!

There are lots of little things I’m getting used to – like howto have everything you need, including a packed lunch, auditionclothes/binder, etc.. efficiently packed with you – since youtravel on foot and subway into the city (away from where you liveusually). Can’t forget anything! I need to get a cart for groceryshopping. Organic/wholesome foods are a train ride away (30min. each way.I have put so many miles on my poor feet just in the last week! Lotsand lots and lots of people, all on the move. Beggars doing their speeches on trains, performers in train stations, subway life like flyingthrough space. Layers and layers of clothing and gear to keep warm,undressing and redressing at auditions.I saw an off Broadway show called, Blue Flower, set in Germany &France during the WWI AND WII years. It focused on four artistfriends who dealt with their own journeys amidst the war machine of Nazi German. The music was beautiful, and the show moving. You saw these very real people in relation to the bigger events, how theyparticipated or opposed it, commentedwith their art or didn’t. And how they loved and lived their own livesamidst it all. I couldn’t help but think some of that is happening rightnow here in this country.Yesterday reality hit me and now I’m in pursuit of jobs and sublets. There are some teaching and nanny possibilities. Ofcourse its very stressful until things are rolling.

Last night I watched the moon eclipse. And then it snowed. Iwatched the magical flakes dance through the night air, catchingthe light of the street lamp.I am currently on a 6 hour train to Rochester, NY to visit with anold Peace Child friend and see his film premiere. This ride is lovely – traveling past snow covered hills and trees and followingthe icy Hudson River. I am working on a screenplay for PeaceChild. I’ve always loved trains. When I was about seven myfamily and I went across the country on four trains, I think. It was memorable. Through the ‘hot states’ the air conditioning had broke and I was playing chess or checkers and would take a turn – then run back to the car which sold coke – back and forth even after they ran out ofice. We built a fort around our seats. When I was first born my folkstook me on a train to northern U.S. or Canada? I have to check with mom about that. Supposedly I screamed the entire ride. Mom says I was developing my vocal chords! Funny, I wonder if that’s why I love trains. Its going back to birth. Well, that’s quite a enough for now!I think of all whom I love and even as I make my path through theunknown – I feel your love and support. Till next time.–Deborah

Posted: February 25th, 2008 under NY Chronicles.
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