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I
spent two hours writing up the play
summary for Ms. Phipps. It was hard work,
but it felt good to think about the play
and really visualize how we could actually
make it work. I realized there's something
in me that enjoys imagining people in
certain situations and then trying to
figure out all the different ways they
could react to what's going on. Maybe
that's what being a playwright is about -
a little like pretending to be God in a
universe that you created. I mean, if I
make up the characters and put them in a
situations, which I also make up, then I
decide what I want them to feel and say
and do. Well, I guess that's playing God!
(without any real
responsibilities).
Just
as I finished spell checking Chaz called!
I was really surprised because he's never
called me before. He asked how the summary
was going and did I need any help, because
if I did he'd be happy to come over. I
told him it was all done and then he asked
me to read it to him over the phone. So I
did and he really liked it. He said I was
a great writer and that before, when I
just told him my idea, he thought the play
was going to be cool, but
now, after hearing my
description he said he can totally
visualize the whole thing and it's going
to be awesome! It made me feel really good
to hear him say that but also a little bit
nervous because I feel like this play is
kinda like my child. If Chaz and Miguel
and Dee are also going to be working on it
then what's it going to turn into? Since
Chaz and I have talked about being totally
honest I decided to tell him how I felt.
And he was so sweet. He told me that he
writes poetry and he totally understands
that feeling of ownership. A piece of
writing belongs to you and you don't want
anyone to mess with it. Then he had this
great idea. He said we could work together
on the play like a team works on a movie.
Not everybody writes, so if I'm the
writer, then I get to write it. And if
Miguel is into art, let him do the set
design and scenery. And if Dee is into
make-up and clothes, let her do make-up
and costumes. Then I asked Chaz what he
would be doing. And he said he'd like to
be the director, if that was all right
with me. I told him it was fine, in fact,
I was so relieved to be the only one
writing all the dialogue that I probably
would have agreed to anything he said.
(Well, not anything.)
Anyway,
it was a great conversation and before we
hung up, Chaz asked me if I'd be
interested in seeing any of his poetry. I
said that I would.
When
I got to my locker this morning I found
this:
Curving
ribs
lashed
tightly
TO
a circular frame
IN
a place
TO
sit
TO
retreat
INTO
dreams.
SO
seemingly
safe
deceptively
SO
WITH
everything
HELD
IN
balance.
Dare
to
test
the
edge
and
fall.
Wow!
I'm not sure what it means, but I like the
way it makes me feel to read it. It's cool
not to picture anything in my mind - just
feel the emotions. The fact that this poem
came from Chaz' mind lets me know how much
more there is inside him that I had never
imagined was there.
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