I know what you are thinking… another update… so soon!? Well, the answer is yes.
I have had one of the most crazy nights of my life. Why does this shit always happen to me? Does it happen to everyone?
First off. This evening, I was supposed to meet a nice young lady to exchange films and go to a movie. This meeting was not a date or anything, but getting to know someone new is always fun. Anyway, I ended up getting a call last Wednesday from this artist, Ruben, who needed someone to help him run video projections during his performance at experimental intermedia. The performance was for tonight so I contacted the young lady I had plans with and invited her to Ruben’s show instead of the movie. She was not down with it so that sort of sucked, but, in hind sight, I am glad she did not come.
I came in this morning to help Ruben set up and to go over how the show would go tonight, but he did not have everything set up yet. I left just before 2pm to go work and when I came back at 7:30 after work, I was surprised to see that not much more had been set up in that 5 hours.
By 9pm, the time when the show was supposed to start, we were still setting up VCRs and cameras for the whole thing. At 10:20 we began (keep in mind Ruben had not really gone through the piece with me, so I was unsure of what to do). We began and there were many bumps and mistakes and things we should have worked out before. Essentially, Mr. Murphy let loose his law to rear its ugly head. After the show, I think Ruben and I were both relieved that the thing was over. I feel bad because it was his piece, but I am pretty free of guilt, because I did my best and a damn good job considering. After the show I talked briefly with my friends, Jim and Camille and Aaron. Aaron and I grabbed a drink , which gave me a good buzz, lasting me until the present and we went our separate ways. On my way to the subway, I called my friend Amy back who lives in LA, while she was counseling me on how relationships work after I had updated her with my recent events, I came across a fire in the middle of the street at Rivington and Suffolk streets. There was a rubber hose leading into the sewer and it was ablaze. As I talked to Amy, I watched the fire spread down the hose until a small canister which said “gas” on the side of it started on fire. I backed up, sure that it would explode in my face. It didn’t.
In fact, a fire truck soon came and put out the flames. The signal dropped on my phone call to Amy twice to I proceeded to the subway station. On the platform, two other young gentlemen and I were informed that the F train to Brooklyn would not be running. After brief conversation, we realized that we were all heading to the same neighborhood in Brooklyn. On a whim, I suggested that we all split a cab. They agreed and I introduced myself. Paul is a 6′4″ bald man from London who teaches junior high English in Japan. Geoff is from Albany, but has lived in NY for many years. Me, well, you know me. (If not, you should leave this website immediately!)
Anyway, we talked the entire cab ride, joked around and I had one of the best, and strangest experiences of my life. At one point when explaining that I make movies, I found two stray copies of Exquisite Corpse in my bag. I gave them each a copy. In the words of Paul, this night was “not atoll poncy, mate.”
“It is a strange and beautiful world”–Roberto in Down by Law
