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May 25th Weather: sunny
Polishing his Honda Accord 97,Don said, "I am taking you guys to Santa Barbara on Memorial Day." What Don meant by "you guys" was Me, My girl friend and Sylvia.
We seldom get away from our neighborhood, so Don and I were excited about this day trip as if we were heading to overseas.
We stopped by a winery on the way, visited Mission Santa Barbara, walked around nice shops and ate good seafood in a fancy restaurant. While we were exploring Santa Barbara downtown, Don bought a nice painting from one of the artists on the street, and he also got a sketch book and crayons for me.
"Enjoy drawing, Buddy." said Don.
In the late afternoon, the beautiful sunset turned the whole city in Santa Barbara into orange.We sat down on the beach and watched the sun go down below the horizon.
"Tell me about your acting career in New York. The energy over there must be overwhelming." Don asked Sylvia.
"Oh, Yes.You never find the city like there.I met many fabulous play writers in New York and they give me opportunities to play.But what they give me is more than the roles.Their passions and dedications always amaze me. I have been learning a lot from them." said Sylvia.
"Don, we should do another stage performance like we did on Cinco de Mayo."
I chimed in, but Don ignored me and asked Sylvia another question.
"What did you play recently?"
"The Taming of the Shrew. I played Katherina."
"Katherina ? I can't visualize your playing Katherina.You are more like.....Juliet."
Don shook his head to show his surprise.
"You don't know me yet."
Sylvia joked and they both laughed.
"Sylvia, have you played Little Red Riding Ho.."
I also tried to join the conversation, but Don cut me off. "You should play Juliet. I'll definitely be there to see that."
I was getting frustrated about being excluded from their conversations. Although I heard my girlfriend whispering in my ear to leave them alone, I tried one more time.
"Don writes, too, Sylvia. He is making a movie for Hollywood."
"That's right. My sister told me Don writes with passion."
Sylvia looked at me. I felt good to get attention finally, so I added.
"He writes a lot. It's 500 pages now."
Then Don responded, sounded a little self-defensive.
"I AM deleting several scenes and a couple of characters.But it's hard to delete the scenes I put my energy into and the characters I gave birth to. As I write, the scenes and the characters have grown on me. I know you think I am weird to feel this way."
"No, not at all." said Sylvia, putting her hand on Don's hand, and she continued.
"I understand what you are saying. I feel the same way to the characters I play. When the play finishes, I have a hard time letting go of them."
"Do you?"
Don delighted with joy.
"Yes, all the time. But eventually we have to let go. That will lead us to another dimension of creativity." said Sylvia.
"You are absolutely right."
Don nodded, putting his another hand on Sylvia's hand.
By then I was upset without getting enough attention from both Don and Sylvia, so I said out loud,
"Don keeps everything anyway. He even keeps the compositions he wrote when he was in the first grade."
This made Don turn around to me and raise his eyebrows.
"Are you sneaking around my room!?"
"You keep them in your bookshelves! You even labeled them from your elementary year to your college year. Hard to miss." I said.
"Do you keep all the compositions you wrote when you were a kid?"
Now Sylvia gave him a surprise look.
Feeling embarrassed, Don slowly turned back to Sylvia and said to her,
"I want to take you to Redondo Beach next weekend. But next time definitely ALONE WITH YOU."
He stressed "alone with you" part.
Walking around a whole day, I must have got tired. My girlfriend and I was asleep in the car all the way back home.I am sure I could let Don have a nice conversation ALONE with Sylvia.
I had a super good time with them in Santa Barbara.
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