A couple nights ago she texts me from backstage, no preamble, even though we haven’t spoken in a couple weeks, and even though our lives are erupting into chaos and change – some good, some bad – LOTS of stuff to talk about and cover … but she breaks our small silence with this:
Sheila, what’s the name of the tv movie w/ scott baio as a gay football player? Girls in dressing room want 2 know. Thought u might know.
Now this particular production she is in is NOT a Moliere, so she is not dressed in an ancien regime manner – but still. I love getting texts from her that are totally unrelated to the fact that she is in the middle of doing a performance and about to go onstage and sing … she texts me about Scott Baio in a glorified Afterschool Special from the 80s.
I text her back: “I have no idea but Mitchell would know!”
Sadly, Mitchell is strolling through the bazaars of Casablanca at this very moment and so is unable to verify Scott Baio’s whereabouts in April of 1986.
Then I get a message from her today, again with no preamble – she probably left it while huddled backstage about to go on and have some big emotional scene:
“I just wanted you to know that the name of the movie in question is The Truth About Alex … and I thought it was with Ralph Macchio – who I know is part of your celebrity crush thing … but it was Scott Baio. Okay. Hope you’re doing okay. Bye.”
Hahahaha. I loved that she knew it was something that, once it’s out there, would bother you until you knew and made sure she told you right away. In a text message.
hahahaha I know. We both needed closure from her original question.
HA HA HA HA!!! Oh, the beauty of an awesome friendship. Will call soon. Maybe today. I’ll try on my way to the theater, although my new phone doesn’t have an earpiece and the speaker phone sucks. Hope all is well. xoxo.
Or you can just text me in between your monologues onstage!!
“Oops, gotta go … that’s my entrance music … buh-bye …”