Entertain me

I am usually a bear when I'm sick. I just want to left alone to heal or sleep or whatever. I haven't been allowed to do that this past week. I've been hovered over, coddled, catered to, babied, pampered, fed, forced to laugh, and been royally entertained. All in all it hasn't sucked a bit.

Friday I went to the doctor and was told everything looked great. Nearly all the symptoms I was experiencing have vanished. My pain is getting better. But I swear he must have put a bowling ball under my shoulder blades during the surgery. Every bit of the pain is below my neck.

This house has been a beehive of activity and has resembled a hotel, recovery ward and animal shelter. Margo is staying with us while she's filming in town. Dark's mother came and is staying with us for a week. Of course gay Scott and Carmen, our housekeeper, are here. And as if the house isn't full enough yesterday Dark came home with another rescued kitten saying "Can I keep him? Can I? Can I? Please Mom, can I? I promise to feed him and do all my homework!" You try saying no to these two faces.


The dining room table has been the scene of some wonderful meals and great conversation. Dark's mother told a story of finding him as a child playing doctor in the attic the neighbor boy. ... ahem ... Carmen told us about crossing the border in drag before finally getting her papers. Margo told the stories about our last two stage performances together. She and I were in Oklahoma at Theater Under The Stars in Houston in 1972. It was arguably the worst production of that war horse ever seen. The leading man playing Curly was bald as a cue ball with a little fringe and wore a blonde curly wig that flew off twice when he threw his hat in the air at the end of the big "Oklahoma" number. The horse he rode on stage was no trooper either and crapped on stage nightly. That prompted me to tell about seeing the musical version of Gone With The Wind in London later that same year. It had a horse too. Maybe it was the same horse because it crapped on stage during the burning of Atlanta number. Then Margo told about being Off Broadway in Always...Patsy Cline in 1997. The show had a number where she put a cowboy hat on a broom and danced with it while listening to Patsy sing. The night I came to see the show instead of dancing with the broom she came flying offstage, slapped the cowboy hat on my head pulling me out of my seat and up on stage to two step with her. She neglected to inform the band leader and Tori Palazola what she was going to do. Tori's jaw dropped and the band on stage stopped playing til Margo waved them on. She and I danced while whispering "It's gonna be Oklahoma all over again. Look at Tori, she's about to crap. ... Where do you want to eat after the show? ... Have you gained weight?" Dark told hilarious stories about Babylon Five mishaps.

I am enjoying my recovery immensely so if you happen to be in LA and can tell a good story come entertain me. I have one more empty bedroom and an extra chair at the table. But no more cats. OK?