When I had a "Moment"

So...let me tell you something! Any good writer will tell you that line is a stupid way of starting an article. Any writing course instructor would also probably look at you as if you've just fallen off a truck and the damage is beyond what they can do to help.

It's a line that can also make you hear your father's voice when he was just on the verge of giving you "what for"! But in my defense let me expand a bit.

I was up on a scissor lift -twenty eight feet up actually- when I had a "moment".

I was in the middle of getting ready for our first season show, which as of my writing, is tonight. I'm also thinking of all the things that need to be finished for the Gomie concert tomorrow night. We've just finished installing new LED performance lighting that we'll be trying out tonight for the first time. I spent most of last night installing sign brackets for new

Galleria signage to promote our shows. The banners were supposed to be ready yesterday but there was a problem and they didn't fit. The crew is busy modifying them at this moment. Ironically, as I began installing the sign

brackets to hold the banners I found that they were made incorrectly so the signs wouldn't fit anyway. Can you sense a twinge of pressure? Our treasurer is also in our office trying to get a handle on our box office system. Rose Carriere our ticket office lady and all around "what would I do without her" gal, is busy trying to help our treasurer. The phone is ringing off the hook as people are phoning to order tickets for tonight's show and for the Gomie show tomorrow night. We're also trying to find some load-in guys for the Gomie band's equipment that's arriving early tomorrow and the air is filled with last minute phone calls for that concert.

Somehow in all that confusion and bustle my newspaper editor phoned to say  "where is your article"?" Actually it was Rose who called to me as I was atop the scissor lift to convey the message and her phrase had some words that cannot be printed here. I think it sounded like "bell" or something...then get your butt in gear. I think that's what she said but I was pretty high up so I could be mistaken.

The point here is that as I was up in the air, I felt like I had a different perspective on things. I was floating above all the commotion that goes with getting ready for performance. People below me were banging off walls and all I could do was smile. I was enjoying it so much that it occurred to me that maybe next time I'd take a book with me...probably a reading light and I'd put a comfortable chair on the lift. I'll close off all the lights and just hoist myself way up and read my book. I think that could be a great
place to get away from things. Better than a holiday and less expensive. Then I started to imagine taking my laptop with me so that I could also watch a movie. At the same time it occurred to me that we own a popcorn machine. I could pop a big bowl of popcorn and butter it with our fake hydrogenated oil. It would give it a real theatre buttery taste. The more I thought about it the happier I became. The possibilities were endless.

Do you know the feeling of being in the middle of a great dream when suddenly, your alarm pierces through you're head like a metal stake- and startles you awake?

I didn't have an alarm. I had Rose. "What are you still doing up there? I called you an hour ago to get at that article!"  More or less in those words! One thing about our Rose...she doesn't mince words. They say that all good things must come to an end. As I lowered myself and joined the masses doing life I realized I'd seen the world-my world-from a different perspective. I'm going to make some changes. I'm going to act on my "moment"! I know now where I'll be taking my vacation. It's a quiet and remote spot close to home. Was I really that happy up there? So... let me tell you something. It was incredible!