Last night I drove to the Utica Zoo for a dress rehearsal of Much Ado About Nothing, the play I am in with LiFT Theatre Company. We are doing a performance there Aug. 1 as part of Utica Monday Night.
I rarely drive to Utica any more and still more rarely to that section of it, but I was fairly certain I knew my way. I got on 5S and took the Culver Street exit. I got a definite emotional flashback as I drove over the Boilermaker 15K Road Race Start line. I did not run the race this year but I’m thinking I will in 2017. I was pleased to note Boilermaker landmarks (or at least things I remember noticing the times I ran) and pictured the spectators cheering as thousands of runners surged past them. Oh, the press of humanity! Oh, the thought of the long run ahead! The excitement, the nerves… I did mention I was having a flashback, didn’t I?
I also noticed Proctor Park, a place I have only driven by. I have often thought I would like to go for a run along that path, only I’m not sure where is a good place to park. No doubt I could find that out. That will be something to pursue when my running routine needs a shake-up. As I drove by the National Guard Armory, I had flashbacks to my short stint in the guard after I got out of the army. I remember a fellow who worked for the guard full time said his kids called it The Castle.
I started to get a little nervous when I got on the Parkway. It was not that I was having more flashbacks, but I was not completely sure where to go. I thought the zoo was a simple left hand turn and all I had to do was look for signs, but I have been known to mess up the simplest of directions.
While stopped at a stoplight I realized I ought to be in the left lane. Glancing to my left, I thought I recognized a fellow cast member. Perfect! After the light changed I got in the lane behind him. Now all I had to do was follow! Unless I was mistaken about who it was, I reflected, second-guessing myself as usual. I watched for signs, just to hedge my bets. The signs were readily located, and the car carrying my suspected cast-mate turned left where I saw I was supposed to. A large arch reading “Utica Zoo” told me I was in the right spot. Yay!
Surprisingly, the parking lots were almost full. I later found out it was a Special Night for some employer or other, so the zoo was full of patrons. I saw a couple of spots but continued to follow my friend. As I pulled in next to him, I hoped it was the fellow I thought it was, and not some random young man who might think I was a cougar type stalking him. I guess I am old enough to be one of them there cougars, although I am not at all inclined to. As regular readers know, I have a perfectly nice husband already.
But getting back to the subject of second guessing, I am now second guessing this blog post. Who writes an entire blog post about driving from Herkimer to Utica? What am I thinking, that every minute aspect of my life is fascinating? I often say that there are worse things than having an ego the size of Manhattan, but surely there is a limit to all things (and I’ll call you Shirley if I want to).
On the other hand, this is Lame Post Friday. Maybe I can make a play on words with “lame” and “lane,” since I was talking about getting into the left lane. I have already used “Unsafe Lame Change.” Also, I believe I changed lanes safely in this instance. I also believe it is time to get on with enjoying my Friday and my weekend. I have two rehearsals. Perhaps I could write about them and not just getting to them. Happy Friday, everyone.
LiFT will present Much Ado About Nothing at the Utica Zoo on Monday, Aug. 1 at 6 p.m. The show is free with admission to the zoo. For more information, visit LiFT’s Facebook page.
