Partying Is Hard Work: Part Two

Yesterday, I began the tale of the experience of being a background actor in the short film of a friend. Where I left off, we had just been eating and talking prior to the commencement of filming.

Before the shoot, I had been advised to dress not necessarily super-nice, but to not wear a t-shirt or logos. I followed those directions, and this evidently won me a somewhat prominent placement in most of the shots. Early on, I sat alone at the bar, watching more social characters from afar while eating candy and pretzels. Later, I move up to a place at a table across from a lady extra. Most of the time, we were directed to mime talking, but I didn't really even do that. I call it a bizarre kind of shyness.

My preference was to do a lot of non-verbal stuff, mainly aimed at provoking my table mate into laughter. A lot of this revolved around the punch bowl which lay between us and the cups of said punch we each had. Evidently, the person responsible for the punch decided the most expeditious way of making it was to employ pool water rather than tap water. Isn't that interesting thinking? The result was heavily chlorinated punch, which we were repeatedly cautioned not to drink even a little of. Sometimes, I would get a bit exuberant and allow some of the punch to touch my lips. With consternation and alarm, I would reach for a napkin to vigorously blot it. It was good fun.

Eventually, most of us extras were advised that we were no longer needed. I can take a hint. Along with the others, I headed out at that time. They, of course, got into their cars and drove off. I had a more onerous method of getting home to set out upon, of the kind that I have described so many times in the past. My plan was to attempt more or less the same rout that had gotten me to Arcadia.

Of course, it needed some modifications right off the bat. Both of the buses I had taken would now be out of service, necessitating that I walk that distance. Some might be surprised that I would think nothing of walking a bit over three miles over the course of my way home, but given that I have no formal or regimented workout plan as others I know do, it seems quite reasonable that I would take exercise in such practical real-world situations.

Tomorrow: The better part of the trip home.