I didn’t have anything in particular I wanted to reminisce about today so I did a random pull–of a photo album from among many–and flipped to a random page. And… it’s not a time in my life I enjoy remembering much. But here we go.
This picture is from about ten months after my father died. My mother and I were living in an apartment together in Montgomery. I was working there and commuting to Tuscaloosa to teach and take classes. I was in and out of a bad relationship–I think the man in question was still living there, though he would be moving. We’d all be moving eventually, but that year everyone and everything seemed stalled.
We’re dressed for an evening out. Terri treated Daniel, Mother, and me to a night at a dinner theatre. We saw Carousel. I don’t remember a thing about it, except I’m sure I was happy to be spending time with them. Now whenever I hear or see the words “dinner theatre,” I can think of nothing except Death of a Salesman in Soapdish, one of my favorite movies, and it makes me giggle (DOAS being such a hilarious play, and all!).
On the same page in that album is this photo:
I think it must be Cinderella’s Golden Carousel at Disney World, and I tucked it there to go along with the theme of the musical. I’m glad I went to Disney World once, but like so much of that time in my life, the memory is tainted by association with that ex-boyfriend. Too bad I didn’t go there with Terri, Mother, and Daniel; we’d have had fun.
The best thing about bad memories is realizing I don’t ever have to be there again.
I have never been to a dinner theater. Do you actually sit at tables and eat while play is going on? Boy, that sounds like I’ve really lead a sheltered life, doesn’t it?
I looked at the program, and it doesn’t have dinner/performance times. I believe we served ourselves from a buffet, but I don’t know if they stopped serving before the performance, or if there was a waitstaff to refresh drinks, etc. It’s been too long!
You–a sheltered life? I’ve never been to an opera!
Well, for a six hour opera I always carry a cheese sandwich or a bagel in my pocket for intermissions.
Six hours?!? I couldn’t handle that.