Long Way To Go

The other day, I had some business out a long way from home. It was, as a matter of fact, an interview with a potential agent (or rather a definite agent who could potentially have represented me). For reasons probably not worth speculation, the agency was deep into the San Fernando Valley. Most people probably would have been dissuaded by the great distance entailed by the prospect of the interview, the great potential reward notwithstanding, but not I.

First I had to walk over to what they call a busway, which is a bus that functions as a light rail train does. I took this busway all the way to the end of the line, which is a ride that approaches an hour in length, give or take a few minutes. From there I had to connect with another bus of the conventional sort that would carry me another half an hour or so in that same direction. Altogether the trip took nearly two hours, accounting for the walking and the waiting.

The interview took but a few minutes, but that's obviously not the thrust of this thing. Now, I found myself at my destination nearly an hour early, owing to the vagaries of the bus schedule. I was in need of a restroom, but reasoned that I could hardly appear at the agency for that reason an hour early. Little did I know that the restrooms were to be found outside the agency's doors in the office park, and not within, but knowing would have robbed me of an adventure.

With that much time, I wanted first to find a restroom and second to explore, all the better to work out my nervous energy. I found my way to a skywalk across the freeway, and continued on in the same direction in search of a fast food enterprise I had seen from up high. Provided it was as busy and chaotic as those usually are, I was confident of my ability to get in and out without exciting the attention of an employee eager to ensure I bought something.

I may have harmed my chances in the interview somewhat, as walking around for nearly an hour on an unseasonably warm day in such a cowtown as I found myself in, a person can get rather flushed. I probably looked considerably more nervous than I was (not that it seemed to impact the proceedings). Luckily, I think I had managed to shake off the mud I'd gotten on my shoes. Probably, that rough-and-tumble pre-amble to an interview or audition could only help someone like me. Perhaps I'll make it a regular thing.