Collective Remembrance

Amazing how many of us on the crew for "Les Troyens" remember it as a pivotal event. But of course it was, we merely pulled off the impossible. Of course, we were working 100 hour weeks at the end, napping in the house while Sara C rehearsed the orchestra. There was a Greek diner around the corner where we could get breakfast any time of the day or night. I have a few photographs, not of that show, but what must have been the same year, when, on a day off (there weren't many) a bunch of us went out to the Watertown Arsenal, because the Opera Company stored scenery there, and I had a key. There was a chain hanging from a hoist, way up in the ceiling, Ted Harper had come up for a visit, and took some shots of Fritz swinging like a maniac. We took the house organ apart, so we could erect a statue of Athena in the organ loft, it was, as I remember, 24 feet tall. Everything, for that show, was huge. On the final Sunday, when we did a matinee of the first opera, and then an evening performance of the second; after the matinee, we just opened the stage doors (Kim remembers the alley) and pushed the first opera out the door. Literally. Never have so few done so much for so few. The shop, an old brewery, was in a bad part of town, but there was a barbeque joint "You Can Beat My Meat, But You Can't Touch My Sauce" on the way out, the Green Line, as I remember. We took a dinner break and worked into the night at the shop and one night I finally said I was going to get some ribs, did anyone else want in. They all did, but feared for my safety, and I told them not to worry, going into a barbeque joint in a bad part of town was something I could handle. I looked like the village idiot, covered in paint and spray foam, with splashes of low-fire silver solder on my shoes, took the Green Line back a couple of stops and walked the half-block to the store-front. An ethnic mix that didn't look friendly, but I ask the guy at the counter, Randall, about the ribs, and he explained his process, I explained my variations, and we ended up cooking together, on a couple of occasions. Not the only time I was called to task for being white. After the first time, I had an armed guard, when I went to pick up ribs and slaw. I'd call in an order and Randall would have a gang member meet me at the station. Things evolve. Epicanthic folds. Sideburns. Too much time in the wasteland. Put away a few more painting, then patched an area where we had Velcroed some small etching plates to the wall. The adhesive they use on Velcro is aggressive and leaves gouges in the wall, but sometimes it's the only solution. The crew that's going to do the demolition and re-paving in the alley, was around for part of the day. There was a manhole cover, cemented in place, and D and I had wondered for years what was under it. The crew had to know, so they went at it with chisels and three-pound hammers. There was nothing, there wasn't even a hole; there had been something, obviously, but the hole had been filled with concrete and the manhole cover slapped back in place. I'd thought I might be able to drive all the way in, but I got 150 feet up the driveway and realized that wasn't going to happen. Had to back down, load my pack and the canvas bag with what I could carry and leave everything else in the vehicle. Not supposed to get too cold tonight, thank god, because there are gallons of liquids. I carry in orange juice and whiskey, butter and cream, a couple of frozen Thai dinners, yogurt, and a gallon of drinking water. I try to remember to bring in a one of those tube pouches of something, every time I shop, so that I could survive an ice storm, eating red-beans and rice, or instant mashed potatoes, and other things that only require water and heat. This morning I was walking carefully around the top of the driveway, because I didn't know what the footing was like, B was leaving at the same time, and asked if I wanted a ride down, and I told him no, that I preferred to walk. I was already in that mode, you know, where you consider every step, and stop, to look around.