#29: Looking glass

As I was hurriedly zipping up my "classical musical theatre audition dress" and humming in that annoying way we actors do when we have a callback and are trying to keep our vocal chords warm, a young girl sat down in the chair across from me. She was impossibly small and was further dwarfed by the gigantic armchair. She slumped further in the chair, her glittered pink sneakers still not reaching the end of the seat cushion. I was shuffling my music around in my book and her pigtailed head was lowered as she stared at her feet.

"I have troubles too."

My head snapped up in surprise at the small voice. "Oh?" I said, "...What are they?" Still not meeting my gaze she replied, "I don't know why my mom missed my show today." 
Ah, yes, I thought. The classic "dad never came to my little league games" scenario, as illustrated in such movies as "Hook." 
"I bet she tried her best to make it," I said.
"She's stuck in traffic. She would've liked the pretty lights."
"Those are my favorite part, too" I smiled, "I bet you were great." I had been in a hurry to line-up for my callback, but I found myself charmed by her sincerity; by the fact that while my mind was juggling Philly Car Share reservations, dance combinations, 16 bar cuts, first grade curriculum, sign language, the fact that PECO still refuses to send me my bills, and trying to keep up with the constant inconsistency, this was indeed her biggest problem and clearly more important than mine.
"I live very far away from my mommy and daddy, and sometimes they can't come see my shows. Sometimes, it helps if I sing a song for them when I go home so they can see what they missed," I said coming down to her level. "I bet your mom would really like that." 
If it provided her with any comfort, I'm not sure. But, I hope she remembers a time when THIS was her biggest problem with this industry, and before it was an industry at all. 

"Ryan: They're baked with love!
KB: Oh! I've been baking mine with racism..."~Ryan on why his brownies are better than mine.