In which Our Hero learns that punctuality is for mimes
Monday after class, every student except one gathered outside the studio to form teams. That one was me. I was off to buy sushi. A grave mistake.
Earlier that day, we had received our first presentation assignment. “In groups of 5, show us or teach us a game”.
On Tuesday, my default group (as it was the only group missing a fifth) suggested we assemble after class. I have a meeting after school every day, so I vetoed this idea. We scheduled instead to meet at 9:15 the following morning.
On Wednesday, four of us assembled at 9:15am. The last arrived at 9:20, at which point one of us agreed to babysit a small child until 9:25, which became 9:30.
On Thursday, one of us forgot we had a 9:15 rehearsal. He arrived at 9:25.
On Friday, one of us texted saying she would be 10 minutes late. She was actually 17 minutes late.
This place is full of clowns.
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For our presentation, we played a game.
On one side, a large bird of prey screeched his desire to eat tiny chickens.
On the other, a mama bird defended her children.
We were light, airy, generous, friendly, open, and with impulse. And then, if we succeeded, we had to add text atop the game. It’s very easy for text to kill the game. But we care not for text. We care for impulse and complicité and game.
My group was the first to succeed.
It feels good. I’m excited for more!
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Comments from this week:
- “I’m afraid to shout because it makes me cry” — a student
- “Your arms are floppy like you smoke hashish” — a teacher
- “Did you have nazis in your family?” — a teacher, upon learning one of our students is German
- “You speak in a toilet voice” — a teacher
- “I think you’re funny for the wrong reasons”. —my roommate, about me
Julian Wise 