October 10, 2004
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The Daily News
1 So...Christopher Reeve wheels into a bar...
2 That's a sad one.
3 So...Ken Caminiti walks into a bar...that makes two guys under the age of 55. Pretty young and tragic. Too bad.
4 We had a tech on Saturday. It turned into one of those rare days where everything just seemed to go right. I began in the morning, searching hither and yon for a set design for the Pigeon Players' production of Thugs. Turns out, I found this painting that was French, a painting of a cafe and street in Paris. But it seemed to talk to me, you know how things do.
5 I LOVED the painting, and decided to adapt it to the Thugs script, and to see if it lined up with flats and platforms we already had.
6 Well, it did, and yes, we do have the stuff. Not all the stuff, but it is a beautiful concept for a set design, and we began. Okay, so we have to adapt a 19th Century cafe in Paris to a 1929 cafe outside Chicago. I think it can be done.
7 We worked, and worked, AND worked, 'til we were acting goofy.
8 But then, isn't that what art is all about?
9 Some fun.
10 Sunday came, and I made a nice, piping pot of Starbuck's, put on some Bach, and messed around a little with my computer. Later, I drove north to visit old people from my life, you know, the ones who are getting pretty-much up there, but who are also the wisest of the wise.
11 My wife's grandmother is in a home, because she can no longer get around, but she has maintained a razor-sharp memory, and she is as young as Spring. She complained for a time about the place, but soon settled in to stories about San Francisco in the early part of this crazy century. Within minutes, I was told about the beauty of a day in the park, with a picnic, with family, with friends...all happening in Golden Gate Park.
12 She also talked of how wonderful it was in the twenties (yes!), when people just enjoyed the absolute purity of the City in its prime.
13 We sat and chatted and enjoyed; she is 95 years' old, or young, or however you want to state it. She was living history, only history as experienced by people with hearts and with soul. Her eyes remained ice blue, and filled with youth. She shared her youth with us, and we were mesmerized. I could hear the surf of Santa Cruz, the jazz that played anywhere one had the energy and the feet to dance all night, and the summer smells of the hills. Just lovely.
14 Afterwards, we hugged, and she waved good-bye with two arms and thumbs up.
15 Proceeded to visit my mom and dad, both of whom are home- grown Niner fans, having both lived within City blocks of the inimitable Kezar Stadium, the original turf of the original Niners of '48. My dad has had season tickets since 1952! How cool is that? And he maintains them to this minute!
16 So we visited yet more wonderful people who have so much history and love to share. We goofed, as always, on the Niners idiotic management this year, and settled into the game.
17 We watched the hapless 49ers make a huge comeback, almost like the old days. We saw the young Tim Rattay BREAK a record for completed passes in one game set by Joe Montana some time, long ago. He did it in front of Joe, who showed up at Candlestick Park, the Monster Park of the NFL. Monster Park? It'll always be Candlestick to my family.
18 I have little more to say, except give the Ancients in your family all the love and respect they deserve. They have, all of them, stories and magic. They have lived...
19 Call a loved one.
20 Today.
21 You will be the richer for it.
22 Peace.
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