Something said in passing
My friend Bill is an actor and playwright. Here’s something he just shared:
My mother, Florence, ninety, passed away tonight after a long illness. I was in rehearsal three thousand miles away. She said she’d see us on the other side but had “to go to a summer job.” She asked where was I, her eldest son. My siblings told her that I was starring in a show. She smiled and passed away, they tell me. I loved her very much, she was my initial audience, my reader, my safe harbor, my inspiration, my teacher.
Dramatists live for good dialogue, strong images, and fitting resolutions. I love Florence’s line that she had “to go to a summer job.” (Great metaphor!) And then, when she hears that her son is starring in a show, she smiles and passes away. Great exit.
November 16th, 2011 at 2:13 pm
Agreeing with you 1000% on all your good comments Lee, but there’s so much more depth to this little story. Florence was with ALL of the people in her life, including Bill at a distance yet still connected by technology. The others with her obviously gave her an environment that encouraged her onward to that way-cool “summer job”. The icing on the cake is that Bill shared his story of good death with you and us! A cool guy, with a cool mom, and it all makes living life sweeter in spite of it’s brevity.