This effect really takes a lot of time to put together. All I've been doing since I have been sick is sleeping. it's amazing how much you can sleep when you're sick and when you wake up you're still tired.
I'm finally felling a little better so today when I woke up I decided to work in my Imaginator shop and start packaging the product. As I was packaging the "Room Service" effect I started to reflect back to all the people that offered their help when I was sick. One friend all the way from Indiana which is about a four hour drive offered to help. Now that's friend dedication. I also for some reason reflected back to another time several years ago when I was sick. I had a case of bronchitis. It hurt some much to cough and breathing was nothing but a struggle. Again! sleeping was the only time I felt at piece. Whenever I get a chest could my asthma kicks in and it makes it difficult to breath.
As I was sleeping I was awakened by a phone call. When I answered it was from my nearby park district who was asking where I was in a concerned worried voice. "What do you mean where am I?" I said. She: "You have a birthday show today and the lady is waiting." Me: "Let me check my book. I don't have any date in my book." She: "Well I have it right here in mine." Not really knowing if it was an error on our part our theirs I didn't want to disappoint the customer nor bruise my relationship with the park district so I decided to go with the "The show must go on!" attitude!
Even though this particular park district had a history of non- communication as well as other booking date problems where they have called. I gave them the benefit of the doubt and worked things out anyway. It's amazing how when businesses make mistakes it's easily forgotten or swept under the rug, but the moment someone elses messes up it's all shouting and finger pointing. Meanwhile they were in the wrong, not me.
When I got off the phone I went into Superman mode and put on my tux that I have waiting on the side for occasions like this where I may get a last minute show. I keep it in a glass case and when I need it I press the "Imaginatior Button" and the glass tux display rises from the floor, the doors open and it's smokey. I quickly put on my tux at the same time coughing and struggling for air.
I get in my car and about half a dozen times on the way to the park district I'm thinking hard of just truing back. I don't! I keep on going because I'm thinking of the Birthday boy.
I finally arrive at the front desk of the park district. I can barely talk because I'm put out breath and my throat is scratchy as hell. When I try to talk I go into a coughing fit. The front desk lady points in understanding of what I'm going through to the location of the party. I arrive at the room and I introduce myself to the lady client. I'm trying to be as professional as I can, but I can't hold back the coughing. At this time I couldn't even talk. It was as if I had laryngitis. I thought that since the client would see how seriously sick I was that she would be compassionate and send me home, but instead she told me I could start. It was almost as if it was a punishment for me for not showing up and then being late.
I really feel that as people we have to set aside our ego and pride and be more forgiving as well a compassionate and understanding. We tend to have the "OH! you're not going to ruin my kids party" we raise our children on unrealistic pedestals and have this "You will die if you make my child UN-happy" attitude. Believe it or not I think the kids handle disappointment better then the adults. it's our insecurities that come out of us and turn nice people into a "You're going to feel my WRATH!"
What have we become when we can't even be compassionate, carrying, understanding and loving for the sick? I'm sure if this client was sick and the tables would of been turned she would of not even considered leaving home. I thought the under my extreme sick condition that would at least earn me some respect. Boy was I wrong.It was now time to start the show. I couldn't even introduce myself. Like I said when I spoke you couldn't even hear my words. It was so bad.
I started performing my show in a Jeff McBride style pantomime. That was really all I could do.
As I was performing I had this feeling of disgust and bitterness toward this lady. People were video tapping and my only thought was "People are going to see me sick as hell performing. Great!" I also started think about this ladies family and friends. I wondered what they might think of her for not doing the humane thing and canceling the show. After all is was completely obvious that I shouldn;t even be up here performing. The show seemed to last forever and when the show was over I was more then quick to go home. When I finally got home and in bed I had this surreal feeling of "Did that really happen?"
If there is one constructive advice I can give you with this kind of situation is that if you're not feeling good, eat up the cost, embarrassment and humility. Sometimes "The show must go on" doesn't always work. Sometimes it can back fire and go even more wrong.
My biggest lesson was that I didn't have enough confidence or assertiveness to say "No! I'm sorry but I'm sick." There is a never ending line of non compassionate, uncaring, un-loving people. We have to take care of ourselves. Trying to please and go the extra mile can take us the opposite direction.
Like Superman, his weakness is Kryptonite. Kryptonite represents "the limits", it's symbolic to the fact that no matter how strong you are there's always something that will break you. I think that's good morality.
Take care, be compassionate and understanding. Be loving. And mostly think about how you would feel if you were on the other side.
Please feel free to comment on some of your sick challenging situations you may have been in. Maybe you can share some advice as well.,
As always thank you for visiting my blog.
Imaginator
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