I've been spending August away from home co-producing one of my own plays. And I have to say I'm noticing what a difference it makes when you're working in a place where most people you bump into actually do agree with the following statements:
Life is better with art.
Therefore we should all support the people who make it.
In fact, things have been going so swimmingly well here that I've been asked by some of our crew not to reveal the name of this city for fear it may lead to even more overcrowding and the kind of housing shortages that turn great amazing cities into... well, San Francisco.
Here are just a few examples of what I'm talking about:
- We needed some empty cardboard boxes for props. The first small business I walked into I said: "Hi. I'm working on a play where we need some empty cardboard boxes. Wondering if you may have some in the back you could spare."
"We usually flatten them almost the second they're empty, but let me look--Oh wait. Here comes a delivery now. Follow me." - I found myself sending files to Kinko's in the dead of night on more than one occasion, camping out to wait for the doors to open the next morning. The second time the manager spotted me, she unlocked early, waved me in, called me by name and handed me my order ready to go.
- A parking enforcement officer saw me walking past a car on my way in to pick up that printing job. He asked if that was my car. When I nodded, he put his pad away and said, "Just be back in 5" and didn't give me a ticket.
- The Executive Director of the theater who is co-producing the play spontaneously had keys made for our crew to make it easier for us during rehearsals as we're coming and going.
- I walked into one small business seeking donations and walked out with donations, volunteers and a possible running crew hire.
- I arrived at my favorite bakery 5 min. after closing and was walking away from the locked door when I heard it unlock.
"What were you looking for," she asked?
"The heavy spelt bread," I replied.
"I just happen to have one that didn't sell. Take it."
When I went for my wallet she would hear none of it.
"We were going to throw it out anyway."
Seems to me, all the business of life and how smoothly it goes or how rough it is to manage has to have an impact.
But don't take this to mean I'll be moving any time soon. As it happens, when I first landed in New York City almost 25 years ago, I could have made you a similar list of all the wonderful unexpected ways my city opened its arms to welcome me. I remember remarking at the time that within two days of arriving at least one person was trying to find me an apartment, another a job and a third a boyfriend.
That's why I'm staying put. I love New York for that warmth. I always say if you stand on any corner of New York and you open a map, it will not be 60 seconds before two or three people approach you offering directions.
They may disagree as to the fastest route from here to there. But that, too, is part of the charm and wonder of the place.
So what's my point? I guess it's simply this. Take the time to make sure home feels like home. And if it doesn't, move on until you find one that does.
