clapping.

I believe that everyone should have one time in their life when they receive applause for their work. Better yet, we should all have a fan club that gives us kudos for organizing, or typing, writing, computing, disciplining, examining, road work, changing diapers, and every other form of work we are doing.

Saturday was my day. But I had actual applause. Matinee performance and with each short jaunt across the stage, someone clapped, or yelped, or laughed....just a bit louder than normal. And applause for walking across the stage with a flashlight? Never happened to me before. But it did on Saturday. And everyone in the cast assumed I had some friends in the audience, but the only ones I knew of were my visiting teachers - who are older, and might clap, but definitely would not yelp or applaud a flashlight cross.

So I was puzzled. But enjoyed it. And felt crazed, elated, and a bit hyper. Okay. So maybe it was the diet coke. And maybe I was imagining the support. But even imaginary friends giving imaginary applause can make for a whole lot of imaginary fun.

And what a job. And why should entertainers be the only ones to feel like that? That is so unfair. So I would like to suggest equal opportunity applause. And if anyone needs some, let me know where and when - and I'll show.

photo via Multiple fragments of tissue