Let me tell you a story. A story about an acting teacher I once had:
More than two years ago, early summer, my fraternity brother and I were walking to dinner when a woman in possibly her late 50s approached us. She was a black woman, about 5'2", visibly not homeless, her graying hair pulled back into a bun.
She told us her name was Beverly.
She asked us if either of us had AAA Premium (or something like that) because she needed her car to be towed. The understanding was that this premium level of AAA service allowed for the member to not be present at the site where the tow truck would come, but since neither my brother nor I had this status, it was a moo point. Her car was several blocks away, had already been ticketed for leaking anti-freeze into the environment, and was in danger of being towed by law enforcement to the tune of a couple hundred dollars. If she could get it towed herself, she could could get the job done for about eighty.
She was only $34 short.
Beverly asked, "Could you do a favor for a schoolteacher?"
I told her that if she followed me to an ATM nearby, I could get her the money she needed. She was very grateful and, the entire walk to the machine, she told us about how rewarding an experience teaching is. An earthquake had just happened in L.A., and Beverly explained how she had taught her elementary students about fault lines and earthquake magnitude. She even told us that she once had a student graduate high school and come back and thank her years later.
When we arrived at the ATM, she took my phone number. She told me that, when she was safe at home, she would call me, let me know she was home, and get my money back to me. I withdrew $40, and we parted ways, and Beverly walked out of my life.
As my bro and I entered the dining establishment, it dawned on me that it was quite possible that I would never see that money again and that everything I had just heard was a lie. I waited for a phone call, but of course none ever came.
I'd been conned.
Not only that, but I was an easy con.
I was so angry that I decided to tell myself that I had invested $40 into acting lessons because, indeed, Beverly (if that's even her real name), was a brilliant actress who played her part just as well as she'd played me!
I told God that he'd have to make up that $40 to me someday. I'm pretty sure I'll be waiting on that $40 for a long time....*sighs*.....
But tonight, in the grocery store parking lot, after more than two years, I was again approached by Beverly! She looked exactly the same.
And she didn't recognize me......
Half of me wanted to choke her and yell, "I've dreamed about this night, now where's my $40, b****!"
But of course, I didn't.
She told me she "needed a tow."
She asked me how school was.
She asked me for "some part of $34."
She asked if I had an ATM card on me.
I lied.
But I gave her 75 cents. (My good friend thinks it's outlandish that I gave her any money at all the 2nd time! But I was so fascinated that I wanted to hear her out again.)
I let her borrow my cell phone so she could call her "sick husband and let him know where I am." (I'll probably call that # tomorrow just out of curiosity.)
Then Beverly proceeded to give me a life lesson on respecting the work that women do. Then we parted ways.
If I see her again, maybe I'll confront her about the incident from two years ago. But maybe she's some sort of humorous messenger from God sent to give me acting lessons and life lessons.
Y'never know.
Whatever.
Laters, everyone!
A mere mortal
From the City of Angels
Livin his dream
From the City of Angels
Livin his dream
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