Out of Town: A Spot Conlon Story

XII

Waking up today has been the easiest day to get up all week. I got to sleep in an hour since I will be going full out today at rehearsal. Dress rehearsal is my favorite rehearsal, you are forced to become better and is your final chance to improve before the big night. Unfortunately, my ankle is still bothering me. I just have to make it through one more rehearsal and some final tips tomorrow, then I can go see someone about it.

About to go upstairs I almost forgot that it is a dress rehearsal and I need to wear my costume. I put on a rather large tutu. The blue accents really help it shine. Of course I took Medda's inspiration a little bit, I also made sure to add my little touch. Unfortunately the idea of making the dress casual enough to wear out completely flopped. For example, the skirt is stiff and the dress in general is a traditional ballet dress. However the sleeves and corset I followed Aunt Medda's design as well as humanly possible. But in the end you can definitely tell I made it, my style always shines through in my clothing.

Putting it on makes me feel like a fairy, so I could fly all around New York City. I could visit Spot whenever I wanted. It still makes me sad that we have not talked at all this week, but dancing is helpful when I need to keep my mind off things. But Spot and I did not end our last visit well, and he isn't coming to my show. He has probably forgotten about me, I shouldn't see him again. He won't want to see me again.

Holding back tears and putting on a fake smile I walk up the stairs and onto the stage. I start stretching and doing some warm up turns. Haley is also doing some piano warm ups and it is nice to not do it in silence. Unfortunately the piano makes it impossible for me to eavesdrop on Aunt Medda and Freddie's conversation. But I do see that she is holding a seating chart. That's weird, all of her shows are first come first serve seating, except for the boxes. The boxes you have to reserve a month or two in advance. People are going to watch me perform again, I start smiling. I have always felt comfortable on stage, because on stage I don't have to be myself. On stage, barely anyone knows who I am but everyone is watching you, the position of power. And if there is one thing I love it is power.

My thoughts and stretches are suddenly interrupted by two quick claps gathering my attention.

"Let's do a run though and go from there" Freddy says looking at Haley and me.

I walk to the back facing the wall waiting for the music to start. As the music starts to play I go on relevé and start shimming backwards. Everytime I take a step on my right leg, pain shoots up my side, but I still smile. Soon enough I am holding an arabesque with my right leg basing. The pain is almost unbearable, just another right count and I do a Russian Switchback to switch my base leg. I am now almost to the end of my first run through of the day just one more aerial than a pose. As soon as I land I just feel my ankle throbbing but I need to suffer through the pain.

"Okay, so you had some problems with your technique that time, just make sure you point your toes immediately after letting them off the ground. And your coupes and passes your toe are not tucked behind your leg. Other than the technique, you got ahead of the music before your Russian Switchback, you need to hold that relevé for eight counts and not a second less. I know it is hard but you need to make sure you are smiling during all of your tricks, in your aerials especially. Hopefully as we practice those errors will fix themselves" Freddy finally takes a breath after reading off my corrections. All of them are minor, things that I can fix with ease. Maybe this rehearsal will not be too bad.

This rehearsal is very bad. I just finished my last run though for the day and although I am making major progress my ankle has just been getting worse. I am going to ice it tonight to make it tolerable for the show tomorrow.

However the rowdy crowd upstairs makes it impossible to sleep. Thursday nights usually are not this bad, the noise makes it impossible to sleep. Instead of sleeping, I decide to go on a walk, which I will come to regret later. Walking or applying any weight to my ankle right now causes extreme pain but it is somehow better than getting a headache from the drunken crowd. The summer night breeze is welcoming as I leave though the back door of the theater. I would never wear my night slip in public but no one is going to see me anyway. It is a stroll around the block at midnight, no one is going to see me. That being said, Spot told me to never leave the house without a means of defending myself so I grab his knife too.

As I walk I think about home, about Wendy and Olivia, what they are doing. But as I think the once stroll is turning into a cross-city journey. Leading me to the bridge but not just any bridge the Brooklyn Bridge and the harbor on the other side. Almost like an imaginary force guides me to the lodging house, and up Spot's fire escape. Last time we saw each other we had a fight, he isn't going to want to see me. Even with that looming in the back of my mind I still reach for the window.

Locked

Not knowing what as come upon I reach for the pocket knife to pry the window open. The flimsy lock breaks allowing the window to open. However the sound of the lock breaking stirs Spot in his sleep. He turns around and stares at me for a moment before approaching the window. "Whats you'se doin' here" he takes a deep breath in, "I thought I told you, walkin' around at night is dangerous"

To be frank, I do not know why I am here. I just kind of walked here on muscle memory, but I cannot tell him that. "I came to apologize for pushing your boundaries earlier."

Without hesitation, almost liked he planned this out in his head, he says. "No, I'se am sorry for bein' so guarded. I'm not used to open' up ta people" with that he lets out a sigh of relief. "Come in, and gets some rest" And with that before I know it I am asleep in his arms again.