Saturday And Ken

Paula picked me up at 9:45 for the run-through and cue-to-cue.* There were, as always, delays and halts and sitting around--inevitable with any show. At one point, a few of us went outside and saw this in the parking lot:

Fractured Actors somehow acquired a door from the original 1959 Broadway production of Gypsy, starring Ethel Merman--wow! The door had been in the Fractured Actors warehouse, which directors Jeff and Shannon have been  searching for props. 

Director Shannon said Paula and I could take a break--go somewhere and just get back at 1:00. We went to Ross, at Paula's suggestion, but after we had been there awhile, she said she decided not to go back, as her grandchildren were visiting. Fine by me, and I started walking back to Palma Drive, only about a mile, if that. When I was halfway there, Ken, who's also in the play I'm in, drove up and asked if I wanted a ride. Sure thing, and I got in, then Ken said the company had broken for lunch, did I want to go to El Pollo Loco for lunch with him? 

I can't say this place will ever be a favorite of mine, but I got a taco and glass of water. Ken insisted on paying mine--it wasn't much, so after a formal protest, I let him. We sat down and he proceeded to deliver his autobiography. This seems to be a feature of so many aging men (aside from Jim, of course): They just talk on and on about themselves and show not the slightest interest in anyone else's life. I think it may be because they're lonely and--maybe--tend to turn their thoughts inward, rather that look out at the great world.

Ken used to weigh over three hundred pounds, which is almost impossible to believe, seeing him now: He's about six feet tall and is very lean. He said that he and his late wife lost more than 100 pounds each, starting in the early 2020s. (She died in 2014.) Since then--get this--he has eaten exactly the same meals for breakfast and lunch--yes, at El Pollo Loco--AND the same dinners--frozen turkey, with trimmings, I'm not sure what brand. 

I had thought Ken was my age or older and had to conceal my amazement when he mentioned he's 67. Not only his physical self, but his manner and mien--somber and solemn and I've actually never seen him smile--conjure up a much older man. He is very active in the Luminal Church--said he was born into Assembly of God (in Edison, NJ, by the way) and now teaches bible classes and so on and drearily on.

We got back about 1:00. Ken left st 2:00 and said he'd drop me off at the bus stop, but I wanted to stay and did, for the quick cue-to-cue. Shannon was concerned about my not having a ride, but as I explained to her, I need to walk.  And I did, to Telephone Road, a mile or so, and it felt good. 

While waiting for the bus, I called Ellen and was delighted to hear she and Greg have both tested negative--YAY! I have rehearsal from 2:30 to 4:00 today, which will work out fine because Mike has a business meeting until 5:30. So, I'll be home by 4:30 and he, with Ellen, and Violet (whom he picked up from camp yesterday) will pick me  up between 6:15 and 6:30 and we'll all go out to dinner. 

Note: I sent the pictures my BCNN friend, Regina, and her top with oriental lettering on it, to son Patrick and this was his response:

It looks like Chinese or very old Japanese to me. Parts of it may have been printed upside down and in reverse. I may recognize some of the characters, but I can't make any sense of it.

*A cue-to-cue is a technical rehearsal that focuses on getting the physical production caught up with the acting by skipping over scenes or dialogue that have no technical cues in them in order to run the next cue.