In the stillness of the dark theatre, there was one street lamp like the lamp in the cold winter snow of Narnia*.
In fact, as she began to let her imagination run wild, she noticed the stage becoming colder, and as she looked up at the catwalk, she saw it melt and looked up to see a sky of stars and clouds combined. A cloud moved over the three-quarter moon, concealed it for awhile, then once again, revealed its mystical beauty against the darkness where the stars appeared to pin up the sky.
Little flakes of snow began to fall, downy, softly, sending shivers throughout her body, lacing the stage like Ivory Detergent Flakes.
An ice rink revealed itself, and penguins waddled past her. She thought that was a little peculiar, but took it in stride.
An iceberg came out from stage left of her, and two polar bears began lumbering toward her, three cubs behind them, making her feel downright uncomfortable.
The weather report had been bleak for the midwest, scary, they told everyone. "Stay inside," they cautioned.
But she was inside. She couldn't help it if the outside came to her.
She shivered, drew her ski jacket around her, put on her ear muffs, her hood, and her mittens.
It was Groundhog's Day. The Puxatawny Phil Groundhog came out of yet another snow hill, introduced stage right; he poked out his nose, covered with snow, and looked around.
"He doesn't see his shadow," she cried, "What a relief!"
The groundhog scampered over to her on the set and scurried back into his hole.
The actors came from both wings of the stage and cheered, "We are done with this scene. We can go outside now!"
She thought the actors were a bunch of weirdos.
"What do you call this? This is outside."
"Oh," admonished the director, "That's just your imagination. You get too into your role. Don't do that or you'll go bonkers."
Having broken the spell, she was back on the bare stage under the lamp, wearing nothing but her sweater and light clothes; everybody laughed.
"Ah, you laugh now, but someday, my imagination will come in handy."
Huffily,they all walked off, leaving her on the bare stage, under a lamp in the dark theatre...except for the company of a few understanding penguins.
*C.S. Lewis' Chronicles of Narnia.
Saturday, December 15, 2007
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