I played a little hooky, but are making up for it

Ok, so I played hooky a little bit today. I had a production meeting at Steppenwolf for a reading of my play that's included in the Chicago Humanities Festival, Acts of Concern Program. And when I was coming out with Ed Sobel, I saw Lydia Diamond walking on the street and instantly attacked her with love. She glows. I love people who glow. So she was meeting Hallie for lunch across the street and guess who tagged along? Yo misma. I mean, I was going there to pick up something to eat anyway before heading for the institute. And then at lunch they invited me to sit it in a Harriot Jacob workshop. And I couldn't refuse. A slave narrative. The only surviving, or only one ever written by a young slave girl which Lydia adapted from the novel. Very powerful. Lydia's very talented.

And so my guilt (and my Liberty...what a hypocrite I am with that gas guzzler. And here I'm writing plays about global warming) drove me to the institute y me puse las pilas y dije, "ahora tengo que recuperar el tiempo perdido." And I think I did; I scored my second interview:

BELIZE-Roger's Park. On Sunday at 2pm. "After church," she said. I was taken aback by Mrs. Belize's melodic accent. Her deep, rich voice. So kind and motherly. She was so willing to lend a hand even though she had no idea what I was talking about. I'm already bad at explaining things, and an "out of the blue" phone call must add to the confusion. But she seemed kind and willing and I'm seeing her on Sunday. She is a friend's mother and I'm so glad he put us in contact.

So, so far I've got me:

1) BOLIVIA-Elmwood. On Thurday at 7pm. Meeting her at Triton College. She saw my notice on MYSPACE or AOL and replied. She seemed very eager to "represent her country" and she was very patient with me for two months while I got my act together.

2) BELIZE-Roger's Park. On Sunday. Meloflous voice and lullaby accent.

3)EL SALVADOR-Chicago. On Monday, bright and early at 8am at her house on Oliva street. I need to google that. Sra. Salvador was extremely kind and accommodating when I had to reschedule because of my own scheduling snafu. Her little dog was sick, but she was willing to see me today. So accommodating. She is also a friend's mother and he's told her a little bit about the project. She swallowed her R's and S's in the most harmonious way.

I might fall in love with all these accents once I'm done.



See? The day was not wasted. I booked three. Now I just have to translate the questionnaire and buy myself that recorder!