Rehearsal

After walking home through the blistering hot July summer haze and sun, I stood in my stifling apartment sweating and gulping down a large glass of water. It was no were close to ice cold, but it was good none the less. After downing the glass and refilling it, I sipped water while walking around my apartment throwing open all the windows. I hoped that some air flow would happen, but felt little change.

After changing out of my work cloths to something a little more comfortable, I moved to the kitchen to make something for dinner. I had less than half an hour before I needed to leave my apartment for rehearsal. Quickly I shredded some lettuce I had in the frig and chopped up some green pepper. Than I smothered it all with blue cheese and feeling very much like a rabbit started to eat. After finishing the salad I felt hungry still so I at a couple of crackers with cheese. Than after another glass of water I left the apartment, already sweating in my 'fresh' clothing.

I quickly walked, nervous about missing my bus, while calling my sister to talk. I really like talking to my sister while I'm walking, doing two things at once, it makes it easier to appear at home in a place were I stand out. Being white in a area of Philly that is almost completely Black, I'm getting used to sticking out. I get to the bus stop right as the bus comes barreling down the street towards me, its early. I'm thankful that I did not miss it. I hang up with my sister, drop my token through the little box next the driver and awkwardly walk to the closest free seat as the bus sways back into traffic.

On the bus I look out the window at the passing rows of houses, which give way to the park. The bus stops and starts with the traffic and as it pull off to the side to let people on and off. Everyone on the bus sways as it gathers speed and than quickly decelerates before a red light. Slowly the bus empties until I am the only one on board. Finally we reach the last stop and I step off the bus and back into the heat wave. I start walking down the main street towards the pub we normally meet in. The shoes I am wearing start to eat into the back of my ankles, and my walk starts to become a hobble.

I make it to the pub, only to find it basically empty. Shortly after I sit down I receive a text to come outside, because we are moving to the directors house. I wonder out, find his car, and clamber into the front seat. Off we go through the streets of Manayunk, first to pick up another member of the cast at the train station and than off to the Directors house, which thankfully will be air conditioned. Together the group of us head inside sweat and ready for cool air, cold glasses of water and rehearsal. It seems everything I do here in the city is some type of adventure, at least I have yet to be really lost.