Last night there was a surprise birthday party for my baby friend's surrogate grandmother. I've spent a lot of time with her, chatting over tea and cookies as she holds Baby. She is a wonderfully vibrant 80 year old woman. I hope to be like her when I am 50, let alone 80. Even though I think she's super cool, I haven't talked to her about my play. Don't really know why, just haven't felt like that's somewhere I want to go with her.
Well, last night I had rehearsal, so I went to the party for 1/2 hour, then slipped quietly out the back door, and came back later. Apparently, I had been the topic of coversation because when I came in an elderly woman said, "But she doesn't look like a vagina!" I wanted to melt into the floor.
Then the same woman told me she thinks I'm really brave. I couldn't read her. Why am I brave? "Um, thank you. It's been really great- it's an amazing group of women." She was staring at me, without blinking, making me really nervous, so I just kept rambling about what a great experience it's been. Then she finally blinked and said how she can't believe HELENA is putting on THAT PLAY. She remembers reading about a HIGH SCHOOL back East that put it on, and THEY CAN'T EVEN PRAY IN SCHOOL. They let the students put on THAT PLAY, but won't let them PRAY! I felt like the whole room was staring at me as I mumbled, "Well, high school might be a little young....." Thank god I was rescued by a pretty tipsy birthday girl, who swept me away to meet some of her other friends.
I think the rumor that you can't pray at Amherst Regional HS is greatly exaggerated.
Posted by: pjm | March 31, 2004 at 11:42 AM