Last Show

There I was. At Walgreens. I usually go to Walgreens by myself. I walk around and browse the seasonal cards. The decorations of the moment. Right now, Christmas. For some reason I got teary eyed, thinking of my grandma. How it's been over a year and I don't think I've completely realized her death or the loss or something. It still feels weird. Death is weird. Endings are strange. Then as I was checking out (I bought a birthday card for my sis) a song came on. Oh, what was it? I'll think of it later. I had just had dinner with Eileen, Joel, and Jack. We decided that since Eileen is leaving for the Second City boat we'd have to hold off on our show. Maybe do some short films. She can send her footage to us. We had some beers and good chatter. Eileen wrapped a scarf around her head and pretended she was some arabic queen. We had some laughs. Then we headed back to her apartment and took some silly pics. I stand in Walgreens to get cash back to buy a ticket to Eileen and Joel's show. They are already at Second City warming up. It's their last show. But back to the song. The song is playing in Walgreens. It's Winds of Change! That's it. The song reminds me of high school when we would tear down the sets to the shows at the end of the last night. Last show is so special and curious. What will come next? What have I learned? Who has changed me or what about my character made me realize more a part of myself. Who am I now? Back then we'd sit in the audience. Joe, Jeremy, Angela, Erin, JT, Pete, Josh, Grant, and so many others. And we'd watch the set just fall to pieces. As if it had never been there. As if another chapter was closing and we had to accept that we were moving forward, nearing the next step toward maturity and understanding of the world as we knew it. Of course, we were so melancholy and sentimental back then. Then later I would join The Elkhart Civic Theatre. It was there that I worked out a part of my life that needed healing. I had returned from college, confused and lost. My stepmom found an audition in the paper-told me to go. I got the part and spent a majority of my two years home at the theatre. Each show brought something out in me. People touched me, pushed me to move on, pushed me to be still. And later I moved here, to continue to train and act. My time at Second City has involved many last shows. From my first last show to my most recent last show, each time I have changed as a comedian, an actress, a person. So does everyone else. Even the audience.

And now Eileen will go on the boat. Brent and I will finish editing our movie. And many others will either get their big audition, or produce a great project, or move to LA. But in between we have crossed paths. We have shared laughter and moments that have changed us because we let them. Let the moments change you. For a last show is a new beginning.