Charrrrrrrrrrrrrge! OW!

Posted by Troy

February 22, 2006

Sunday was the last night of Arsenic & Old Lace. It was supposed to be a combination of celebration and sadness when it was all over.

Pain was never mentioned.

After I went up the stairs one final time to change, I gathered up the essential items - shaving cream and a razor -and went down the back stairs, intent on finally being able to shave the moustache off. If you are not familiar with Arsenic & Old Lace, my character, Teddy, charges up stairs thinking they are San Juan Hill, so I have been running up stairs and coming back down them for over 3 months.

But this last trip down - was exactly that. I missed the last step, perhaps the last two and I felt my foot twist so far under itself I was sure it was broken. I laid there on the steps in disbelief, wanting to drop the F-Bomb, but held back to a very loud “OW!” Then came all of the heads peeking out from the hallway and dressing room. “Just… give me a minute.” I told them and then they slowly disappeared. I lay there in disbelief then finally got to my feet and limped to the dressing room. I could feel my show getting tighter and tighter around my ankle. Great.

So after several veiled attempts at humor “Oh, you just wanted to get out of striking the set, eh?” I finally managed to get to my feet and help as much as I could with tearing down the set. I left a little early after my drill lost power and I felt useless, but I hung in as long as I could. I bought a new ACE bandage at Walgreens on the way home and taped the ankle up, and then started shivvering at home cold it was - the thermostat was at 75. I grabbed a thermometer and yep - I had a slight fever.

One of the main characters, Mortimer, has been sick for the last 3 performances, so we were all somewhat prepared for the possibility. But this was ridiculous. I got into bed, pulled all the covers up, and couldn’t get to sleep because of the throbbing of the ankle. Finally at about 4am I took the bandage off and slept until 6:30, when I got up and sent an email saying I would not be into work today. I went back to bed and the next think I knew it was 3:30 in the afternoon.

I felt somewhat better, but still exhausted, so I downed a Power-Ade and went back to bed and woke up at 6:30pm. I had someplace I should have been at 7 but just couldnt do it, so back to bed I went.

So ended President’s Day.

The ankle is doing better and I feel fine now. I think I managed to give it what it needed… a day off.