ds_0027_braggperformance_cap_01.mp4

ds_0027_braggperformance_cap_01.mp4

Theatre in the sky

Bragg, Bernard, 1928-2018

American Sign Language literature

Deaf, Theater for the

Pantomime

Deaf Poetry

Deaf, Writings of the, American

ASL poetry

Bragg performs a pantomime 'Theater in the Sky', a story of his famed life on wings, traveling the world though acting with The National Theatre of the Deaf, being a 'good will ambassador' and conducting fund-raising activities. He dedicated the performance to his first Deaf teacher, Dr. Robert F. Panara, and mime artist Marcel Marceau.

National Technical Institute for the Deaf

Rochester Institute of Technology - RIT Libraries - RIT Archive Collections

2007

2018

moving image

mp4

VHS

99 minutes

American Sign Language

English

RITDSA.0027

Sculptures in the Air: An Accessible Online Video Repository of the American Sign Language (ASL) Poetry and Literature Collections

Karen Christie ASL Literature Collection

2018-2019 CLIR Grant-ASL Poetry and Literature

https://albert.rit.…

https://archivesspa…

New York - Rochester

Henrietta Campus

RIT Libraries makes materials from its collections available for educational and research purposes pursuant to U.S. Copyright Law. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. It is your responsibility to obtain permission from the copyright holder to publish or reproduce images in print or electronic form.

CC BY-NC-ND: Attribution NonCommercial NoDerivatives 4.0 International

BERNARD IS PANTOMIMING
GETTING ON AN AIRPLANE.



WELCOME TO FLYING WITH DRAMA;
"THEATER IN THE SKY;"

FLYING AGAINST THE HEADWINDS
OR FLYING WITH THE TAILWINDS;

FLYING INTO A STORM;

FLYING FAR ABOVE THE EARTH;

FLYING INTO THE SUNSHINE;

FLYING INTO THE DEEP,
DARK NIGHT;

FLYING INTO THE WHITE CLOUDS;

FLYING; FLYING.

IT IS "THEATER IN THE SKY,"
THE STORY OF MY LIFE, YES,

MY LIFE ON WINGS,
FULL OF SURPRISES, THRILLS,

ENJOYMENT, HOPES, FEARS,
FRUSTRATIONS,

HAPPINESS, LAUGHTER.

YES. THAT IS
"THEATER IN THE SKY,"

WHITE CLOUDS LIKE A STAGE
CURTAIN OPENING UP FOR ME,

STARS SHINING UPON ME,

ANGELS MY AUDIENCE
SMILING FROM FAR ABOVE

ASTRIDE THE PLANE,
MY STAGE...

PASSENGERS MY FELLOW ACTORS,

FLIGHT ATTENDANTS MY USHERS

HANDING OUT PROGRAM BOOKS.

THAT IS "THEATER IN THE SKY,"
THE STORY OF MY LIFE, YEAH,

MY LIFE ON WINGS...

A LIFETIME OF MEMORIES
TO SHARE WITH YOU ALL--

YOU, YOU, AND YOU.

BUCKLE UP AND ENJOY THE RIDE.

YOU GUYS HAVE INSPIRED ME
THROUGH YOUR APPLAUSE,

AND I WANT TO GIVE YOU IT
RIGHT BACK,

GIVE YOU SUCH INSPIRATION,
GIVE YOU THAT ENERGY.

THAT'S GREAT.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

THIS EVENING'S SHOW...

"THEATER IN THE SKY,"
IS DEDICATED

TO TWO OF THE MOST IMPORTANT
INFLUENCES IN MY LIFE.

FIRST PERSON
IS ROBERT F. PANARA,

WHO WAS MY FIRST DEAF TEACHER.

I MET HIM WHEN I WAS 16.

HE INTRODUCED ME TO THE WORLD OF
ASL LIT., POETRY, AND THEATER,

AND IT'S A HONOR FOR ME
TO PERFORM HERE,

A THEATER NAMED AFTER HIM--
ROBERT F. PANARA.

HE SENDS HIS REGRETS.

HE COULD NOT BE WITH US
THIS EVENING.

HE'S HAVING SOME BACK PAINS,

BUT I KNOW THAT HE'S WITH US
IN SPIRIT.

NOW, THE SECOND PERSON
WAS ALSO A BIG INFLUENCE

IN MY LIFE, THAT BEING
MARCEL MARCEAU.

HE WAS MY TEACHER, MY MENTOR.

HE PASSED AWAY
JUST TWO WEEKS AGO,

AND PART OF ME DIED WITH HIM,

YES, BUT I KNOW IN MY HEART

HIS SPIRIT WILL ALWAYS
REMAIN WITH ME.

SO WELCOME
TO "THEATER IN THE SKY."

WELL...

I ACTUALLY USED TO FLY
WITH BOB HOPE,

TRUE STORY, WELL, NOT EXACTLY
SITTING IN THE SAME ROW.

HE SAT IN FIRST CLASS,
AND I SAT BACK IN COACH,

BUT IMAGINE THE TWO OF US
ON THE SAME PLANE.

WOW,

BOB HOPE, WHO HAS TRAVELED
FAR AND WIDE.

I ALSO HAVE
TRAVELED FAR AND WIDE.

INTERESTING.

BOB'S FAMOUS QUOTE WHEN PEOPLE
WOULD APPROACH HIM

AND ASK HIM TO PUT ON A SHOW,
HIS RESPONSE WAS,

"HAVE TUX, WILL TRAVEL."

MY RESPONSE WOULD BE WHEN PEOPLE
WOULD ASK ME THE SAME,

IF I WOULD GIVE A PERFORMANCE,
I WOULD SAY,

"HAVE INTERPRETER,
WILL TRAVEL."

SO THIS EVENING,
WE HAVE TWO YOUNG MEN

HERE WITH US TO PROVIDE
VOICE INTERPRETING FOR THE SHOW.

FIRST, WE HAVE ED WING. "WING"?

DID YOU SAY "WING"
LIKE "WING IT"?

HOW APPROPRIATE FOR THIS SHOW

TO BE THE INTERPRETER
AT "THEATER IN THE SKY,"

ED WING,

AND ALSO--

ALSO WE HAVE A YOUNG MAN HERE.

HIS NAME IS BRENT BOCIAN.

NOW, I JUST FOUND OUT THAT BRENT

HAS ONLY FLOWN A COUPLE TIMES
IN HIS LIFE--

WELL, HE'S YOUNG--

BUT HE RECENTLY PURCHASED
A NEW CAR, A MUSTANG, 2007.

I BELIEVE THAT CAR
IS SUPER FAST,

FASTER THAN A PLANE.

NOW, BRENT, DON'T GET
AHEAD OF ME THIS EVENING.

MAKE SURE YOU'RE FOLLOWING ME.
DON'T GET AHEAD, OK?

LET'S HAVE A GOOD TIME.

PEOPLE HAVE OFTEN ASKED ME,

"DO YOU KNOW THAT BOB LIVED
TO BE A HUNDRED YEARS OLD?"

AND I SAY, "SO?"
AND THEY SAY,

"WELL, YOU'RE GETTING PRETTY
CLOSE TO BEING A HUNDRED."

I SAY, "LISTEN. DON'T RUSH ME."

IT'S INTERESTING.
I FIND THAT INTERESTING.

WHEN I GIVE SHOWS LIKE THIS,
YOU KNOW, I TRAVEL

TO CITY TO CITY,
AND I'VE BEEN RAISING MONEY,

FUNDRAISING FOR THE WFD,

THE WORLD FEDERATION
OF THE DEAF,

AND THE NAD, THE NATIONAL
ASSOCIATION OF THE DEAF,

AND I'M PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE
THAT I'VE RAISED SO FAR--

IN THE 7 CITIES I'VE BEEN TO
WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO COLLECT

$25,000 WHICH WILL BE GIVEN

TO THE MADRID WORLD FEDERATION
OF THE DEAF CONGRESS,

AND SO I PROVIDED THEM
WITH A BIG CHECK, $25,000,

TO HELP THEM, THE WFD,
DO THEIR WORK

IN HELPING YOUNG, DEAF CHILDREN
EXCEL IN DEVELOPING WORLDS...

SO I FEEL GOOD ABOUT THAT,
AND I'M HOPING

THAT THROUGH MY FUTURE TRAVELS,
I'LL BE ABLE TO MATCH

THAT $25,000 AND GIVE THAT
TO THE NAD.

THEY'RE HAVING THEIR SUMMER
CONFERENCE IN NEW ORLEANS,

SO THAT'S THE PLAN,

AND I HAVE A WONDERFUL TEAM
THAT'S WORKING WITH ME

ON THESE SHOWS.

FIRST, I'D LIKE
TO ACKNOWLEDGE SPRINT,

ALSO DAWNSIGNPRESS,
AND YOU CAN SEE SOME

OF THE OTHER SPONSORS LISTED
IN THE PROGRAM BOOKLET, PLEASE.

IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT,
BUT ALSO I WANT TO RECOGNIZE YOU

FOR COMING HERE THIS EVENING
AND GIVING YOUR SUPPORT

FOR THESE TWO IMPORTANT
ORGANIZATIONS.

THANK YOU FOR ALL OF THAT.

BOB HOPE AND I HAVE BOTH
TRAVELED EXTENSIVELY.

WELL, THROUGH MY TRAVELS
TO THE DIFFERENT COUNTRIES

IN EUROPE, THE FAR EAST,
DO YOU KNOW THAT I'VE LEARNED

A LOT OF SIGN NAMES
FOR DIFFERENT COUNTRIES

AND DIFFERENT CITIES
LOCALLY, YOU KNOW, AND ABROAD,

AND I WROTE A SONG
CALLED "FLYING,"

AND I WROTE IT ESPECIALLY
FOR THE EYE, NOT FOR THE EAR.

I MEAN, YOU CAN SING ALONG
IF YOU LIKE,

BUT IT'S FOR THE EYE,
SO HERE WE GO.

FLYING TO EUROPE,
FLYING TO AFRICA,

FLYING TO ASIA,

FLYING, FLYING
ALL AROUND THE WORLD.

FLYING.

FLYING TO MOSCOW,
FLYING TO TOKYO,

HONG KONG, LONDON,

PARIS, STOCKHOLM.

FLYING, FLYING
ALL AROUND THE WORLD.

FLYING TO SAN FRANCISCO,

FLYING TO OKLAHOMA,
PHILADELPHIA,

ROCHESTER, CHICAGO, ALBANY,
BOSTON, DETROIT.

FLYING, FLYING
ALL AROUND THE WORLD.

SEATTLE, PHOENIX,
NORTH CAROLINA,

SOUTH CAROLINA, GEORGIA,
PENNSYLVANIA, MARYLAND.

FLYING, FLYING,
ALL AROUND THE WORLD.

NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK,
NEW ORLEANS,

AND FINALLY ARRIVING HOME
TO LOS ANGELES.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

MY PARENTS WERE BORN
IN THE YEAR 1904,

THE SAME YEAR
OF THE WRIGHT BROTHERS'

FIRST SUCCESSFUL FLIGHT.

CAN YOU IMAGINE...

THE FIRST FLIGHT?

58 SECONDS,
BARELY OFF THE GROUND.

MY PARENTS LIVED TO SEE

MAN ARRIVE ON THE MOON.

WOW, IN THE BLINK OF AN EYE...

A FLEETING MOMENT, INDEED.

CAN YOU IMAGINE
A CHILD BORN TODAY,

WHAT THEY WILL SEE
IN THE NEXT 80 YEARS?

INCREDULOUS.

IT REMINDS ME
OF A SHAKESPEARE PLAY

ENTITLED "7 AGES OF MAN."

ALLOW ME TO PERFORM IT.

ALL THE WORLD'S A STAGE,

ALL THE MEN AND WOMEN
MERELY PLAYERS;

THEY HAVE THE EXITS
AND THEIR ENTRANCE,

AND ONE MAN IN HIS TIME
PLAYS MANY PARTS...

HIS ACTS BEING 7 AGES.

AT FIRST, THE INFANT,

MEWLING AND PUKING
IN THE NURSE'S ARM.

AND THEN THE WHINING SCHOOLBOY,

WITH HIS SATCHEL

AND SHINING MORNING FACE,

CREEPING LIKE THE SNAIL
UNWILLING TO SCHOOL.

AND THEN THE LOVER,
SIGHING LIKE A FURNACE,

WITH A WOEFUL BALLAD
MADE TO HIS MISTRESS' EYEBROW.

THEN A SOLDIER,

FULL OF STRANGE OATHS
AND BEARDED LIKE THE PARD,

JEALOUS IN HONOR,
SUDDEN AND QUICK IN QUARREL,

SEEKING THE BUBBLE REPUTATION

EVEN IN THE CANNON'S MOUTH.

AND THEN THE JUSTICE,
IN FAIR ROUND BELLY

WITH GOOD CAPON LINED,
WITH EYES SEVERE

AND BEARD OF FORMAL CUT,

FULL OF WISE SAWS
AND MODERN INSTANCES...

AND SO HE PLAYS HIS PART.

THE SIXTH AGE SHIFTS

INTO THE LEAN
AND SLIPPERED PANTALOON,

WITH SPECTACLES ON NOSE
AND POUCH ON SIDE;

HIS YOUTHFUL HOSE, WELL SAVED,
A WORLD TOO WIDE

FOR HIS SHRUNK SHANK,
AND HIS BIG MANLY VOICE,

TURNING AGAIN
TOWARD CHILDISH TREBLE,

PIPES AND WHISTLES IN HIS SOUND.

LAST SCENE OF ALL,
THAT ENDS

THIS STRANGE EVENTFUL HISTORY,

IS SECOND CHILDISHNESS

AND MERE OBLIVION,

SANS TEETH, SANS EYES,

SANS TASTE,
SANS EVERYTHING.

DO YOU NEED SOME WATER? I DO.

CAN WE PUT THINGS ON HOLD,
AND LET'S QUENCH OUR THIRST?

ARE YOU ALL RIGHT?
BOTH OF YOU DOING GOOD? OK.

NOW...

THINK I SHOULD GET
A SPECIAL AWARD, A PIN,

FOR ONLY MISSING 3 FLIGHTS
IN MY LIFE, 3 TIMES.

HOW MANY FLIGHTS HAVE YOU MISSED
IN YOUR LIFE?

HOW MANY TIMES
YOU MISSED A FLIGHT?

4? ZERO?

ONE. TWO. ZERO. ONE. TWO. OH.

I'VE MISSED ONLY 3,
AND YOU KNOW WHAT?

LET ME TELL YOU A STORY.
THE FIRST TIME WAS THIS.

HERE'S MY TICKET.

WHAT?

THE TIME?

I CAN'T HEAR YOU. I'M DEAF.

CAN YOU WRITE IT DOWN?
PLEASE WRITE IT DOWN.

WHAT ARE YOU SAYING?
I DON'T READ LIPS.

WHAT ARE YOU TELLING ME?
MY FLIGHT LEFT AN HOUR AGO?

HA HA HA! NO. NO.

CAN'T BE. I STILL HAVE TIME.

ME? WHAT ARE YOU SAYING?

DST? WHAT IS THAT?

DST. DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME?

NOW, THE SECOND TIME
I MISSED A FLIGHT...

HERE'S MY TICKET.

WHAT? YEAH?
WHAT ARE YOU SAYING?

THIS IS MY ELECTRONIC TICKET.

YOU SENT ME THAT.
HERE IT IS.

THIS IS NOT ELECTRONIC TICKET?
WHAT IS IT? WHAT IS THIS?

AN ITINERARY
OF PLACES WHERE I'M GOING?

BUT THIS--
WELL, WHAT IS IT?

IT'S ONLY A LIST
OF THE ITINERARY?

I SHOULD HAVE CALLED YOU
TO CONFIRM?

I DIDN'T?

NOW, THE THIRD TIME

AND THE FINAL TIME
THAT I MISSED MY FLIGHT...

GOT 20 MINUTES, PLENTY OF TIME.
WE'LL GET THERE.

LET'S SEE.

HERE'S MY TICKET.

NO, NO, NO. WAIT. WAIT A SECOND.
BETTER IF--

LET ME GO PURCHASE SOME FOOD
IN THE TERMINAL.

I KNOW THAT YOU'RE GOING
TO FRANKFURT, GERMANY,

AND THEN WE'LL FLY ON
TO OSLO, NORWAY,

AND THE FOOD WON'T BE
SUFFICIENT,

SO I NEED TO BRING
SOME FOOD ON BOARD.

LET ME GO PURCHASE SOME FOOD.
I HAVE PLENTY OF TIME.

OK. LET'S SEE.

I'LL TAKE A LITTLE BIT OF THIS,
A LITTLE BIT OF THAT.

LET'S SEE. OH, YEAH.
TAKE SOME MORE OF THIS.

OH, WHAT'S THAT, A DRINK?
WELL, YEAH.

YEAH. I'LL TAKE THIS.

WHAT ELSE I NEED?
OK. THAT'S IT.

OH, I'M IN LINE.
LET ME WAIT A FEW SECONDS.

OH, I'M UP.

HERE'S MY CREDIT CARD.

OK. I'LL SIGN.

I HAVE 10 MINUTES
BEFORE MY FLIGHT.

LET ME GET BACK TO THE GATE.

WHAT? WHAT? WHAT?

WHERE IS EVERYBODY?

WHAT HAPPENED?
OH, THERE'S--OH, EMPLOYEE.

LET ME GO UP TO AN EMPLOYEE.

THEY'RE CLOSING THE DOORS,
AND, HEY, THAT'S MY FLIGHT.

THAT'S MY FLIGHT. NO, NO.
I HAVE TIME.

I'M TOLD, "NO.
YOU'RE TOO LATE."

WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?
LOOK. LOOK.

I HAVE TIME.
I HAVE PLENTY OF TIME.

"NOPE. IT'S TOO LATE."

I'M SORRY. I'M DEAF. I DON'T
UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.

CAN YOU WRITE IT DOWN?
WHAT ARE YOU TELLING ME?

THERE'S NEW SECURITY RULES?

THE GATE CLOSES
10 MINUTES BEFORE DEPARTURE?

BUT THAT'S MY FLIGHT.
THAT'S MY...FLIGHT.

AND I'M STILL LEARNING
WHEN I FLY.

THINGS HAPPEN, YOU KNOW? OK.

LET'S SEE. NEXT, WE HAVE--
LET ME CHECK.

I HAVE RE-ARRANGED THINGS
A LITTLE BIT.

OK. GET BACK ON TRACK.

YOU GUYS DOING OK?

THIS IS THE "THEATER
IN THE SKY,"

THE STORY OF MY LIFE,
MY LIFE ON WINGS.

OK.

I HAVE TRAVELED AND FLOWN
MANY TIMES IN MY LIFETIME.

THE MOST IMPORTANT FLIGHT
I EVER TOOK IN MY ENTIRE LIFE

WAS A TIME A REMEMBER
QUITE WELL.

I WAS 26 YEARS OLD.
IT WAS 1956.

I WAS VERY EXCITED.

MY PARENTS BROUGHT ME
TO THE SAN FRANCISCO AIRPORT.

THEY WERE GONNA SEE ME OFF,

SO I GAVE MY MOM A HUG
WHEN I WAS THERE,

AND SHE'S,
"TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF.

MAKE SURE YOU DROP ME
A LINE NOW AND THEN."

I SAID, "I WILL,"
AND MOM SAID,

"NOW LISTEN. HAVE FUN,"
SO I GAVE HER A HUG,

AND THEN THERE'S MY DAD
STANDING TALL

WITH HIS MUSTACHE.

SAID, "BYE, FATHER,"
AND I KISSED HIM.

MY FATHER SAID,
"WHERE ARE YOU GOING?

WHAT'S THIS FLIGHT FOR?
WHATEVER YOU DO, HAVE FUN."

I SAID, "WELL, I DON'T KNOW,
NO IDEA,

BUT I STILL WANT TO GO,"

AND MY FATHER PROCEEDED TO SAY,
"YES. GOOD LUCK,"

SO I SHOOK HIS HAND,
AND I SAID MY FINAL GOOD-BYE,

AND WE TOOK OFF.

WE FLEW TO NEW YORK.

I WAS VISITING MY AUNT THERE...

AND SHE HOSTED A PARTY
IN MY HONOR,

INVITED MANY OF HER FRIENDS,
MY FRIENDS.

WE HAD QUITE THE CROWD,
INCLUDING BOB DAVILA--

HE WAS ONE
OF THE HONORED GUESTS--

AND SOME OTHER PEOPLE.

WE ALL CAME TOGETHER,
HAD A GREAT TIME EATING,

DRINKING, SOCIALIZING.

THE NEXT DAY, I WENT
BACK TO THE AIRPORT,

AND I SAW THIS BIG AIRPLANE,
AND ON THE SIDE OF IT,

IT SAID, "AIR FRANCE,"

SO I BOARDED MY FLIGHT.

I LOOKED OUT THE WINDOW,

AND I SAW THE MOON SETTING...

AND THEN THE PLANE
STARTED UP ITS ENGINES,

AND OFF WE WENT.

I WAS SERVED A MEAL IN FLIGHT...

AND UPON FINISHING MY MEAL...

I SETTLED DOWN,
CLOSED THE SHADE,

SET MY SEAT BACK,
AND FELL ASLEEP,

AND IT WAS SUCH AN EXCITING TIME
IN MY LIFE,

BUT HOW IT ALL BEGAN
WAS THIS.

I'LL SHARE THIS MEMORY WITH YOU.

I RECALL A TIME WHEN I WAS
LOOKING IN A NEWSPAPER

AND I SAW THIS ADVERTISEMENT
FOR THE WORLD'S FAMOUS MIME

MARCEL MARCEAU, AND I READ
THROUGH THE ADVERTISEMENT,

AND I SAID, "OH, INTERESTING,
THIS WORLD'S FAMOUS MIME,"

AND THIS IS ON HIS FIRST
AMERICAN TOUR,

AND IT WAS THE YEAR 1956,

AND HE WAS GONNA PERFORM
IN SAN FRANCISCO.

AT THAT TIME, I WAS A TEACHER

AT THE CALIFORNIA SCHOOL
FOR THE DEAF IN BERKELEY.

I THOUGHT, "GREAT.
WHAT A THRILL,"

SO IT WAS A WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON.

SCHOOL FINISHED EARLY.
I GOT IN MY CAR.

I DROVE ACROSS THE BAY BRIDGE,

AND I DROVE INTO SAN FRANCISCO.

IT WAS POURING DOWN RAIN
THAT DAY.

I PARKED
AND GOT INTO THE THEATER.

IT WAS CALLED THE GALLERY,

AND I HAD A SEAT IN THE BACK
IN THE BALCONY.

IT WAS A FULL HOUSE,

AND THEN THE CURTAINS
WERE RAISED,

AND OUT WALKED THIS MAN

WALKING IN PLACE,

WALKING AGAINST A WIND,
STAYING IN ONE LOCATION.

IT WAS AN AMAZING PERFORMANCE.

HE PERFORMED FOR...

TWO HOURS TO MUCH APPLAUSE,
AND IN THE END

WHEN HIS SHOW WAS DONE,
HE RECEIVED A STANDING OVATION.

HE HAD A COUPLE OF ENCORES,
AND THEN THE SHOW WAS OVER,

AND PEOPLE LEFT, AND I STAYED
THERE IN MY SEAT IN THE BALCONY

CONTEMPLATING
WHAT A WONDERFUL SHOW.

THIS MAN, HE DIDN'T SPEAK
ONE WORD,

BUT HE HELD THE AUDIENCE
CAPTIVE.

HE WAS EXCELLENT,
BUT I RECALL

THAT I USED TO DO SOME MIME
WHEN I WAS YOUNG--

I DID--AND I THOUGHT,
"WELL..."

IT WAS TIME FOR ME TO HEAD HOME,
SO I MADE MY WAY

OUT OF THE THEATER,
AND IT WAS STILL POURING DOWN,

SO I STAYED UNDER THE EAVE...

WAITING THE CHANCE TO WALK
3 BLOCKS TO MY PARKED CAR

AND HEAD HOME,

AND I WAS THINKING,
"OH, I GOT TO GET TO BERKELEY,"

BUT THERE WAS TRAFFIC
BACK AND FORTH, BACK AND FORTH,

SO I WALKED OVER
TO THE SIDE OF THE THEATER

AND DISCOVERED
THERE WAS AN ALLEY

ADJACENT TO THE THEATER.

I THOUGHT,
"WHERE DOES THAT LEAD TO?"

I THOUGHT,
"MAYBE THE BACKSTAGE.

"HMM, THERE'S MIGHT BE
A DOOR BACKSTAGE.

IS IT LOCKED?
IS THERE SECURITY?"

I DIDN'T KNOW,
AND IT WAS STILL RAINING.

THERE I WAS, JUST STANDING
ALL BY MYSELF.

I THOUGHT, "SHOULD I GO HOME,
OR SHOULD I

"EXPLORE THIS ALLEY
AND GO BACKSTAGE?

WHO KNOWS? MAYBE I'LL GET A
CHANCE TO MEET MARCEL MARCEAU,"

AND AT THAT POINT, I WAS FACING
TWO DIFFERENT ROADS.

REMEMBER ROBERT FROST'S PIECE,

THE POEM ENTITLED
"THE ROAD NOT TAKEN"?

THERE I WAS. I HAD A CHOICE,
AND GUESS WHAT I CHOSE.

YES, INDEED.

I CHOSE THE ROAD LESS TRAVELED,

SO I MADE MY WAY
DOWN THE ALLEY...

FOUND THE BACK DOOR,

DISCOVERED IT WAS UNLOCKED.

I THOUGHT, "GREAT."
THERE WAS NO SECURITY GUARD.

I THOUGHT, "THIS IS GREAT,"
PROCEEDED TO MAKE MY WAY IN.

JUST LIKE THE SIDE OF
THIS STAGE, IT WAS KIND OF DARK.

THERE WAS A WORK LIGHT
THAT WAS PROVIDING

VERY LITTLE ILLUMINATION,
AND I SAW ACROSS THE STAGE

WAS MARCEL MARCEAU BY HIMSELF

JUST WALKING ON THE STAGE
IN THIS MANNER.

HE LOOKED UP TO THE CEILING.

THERE WAS A SMALL WATER LEAK
HITTING THE STAGE

BECAUSE OF THE TERRIBLE RAIN,
AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN,

HE SAW ME IN THE DARK,
AND HE SPOKE TO ME, "YOU,"

AND I GESTURED TO HIM,
"I CAN'T HEAR.

CAN WE COMMUNICATE BY WRITING
ON A PIECE OF PAPER?

HE SAW THAT I WAS DEAF
AND WHAT I WAS GESTURING,

SO HE INDICATED FOR ME TO WALK
UP ON THE STAGE,

AND I WALKED UP THERE TO HIM,
AND I WROTE HIM A NOTE,

AND HE READ THE NOTE,
AND WHAT I SAID TO HIM WAS,

"I'M A SCHOOLTEACHER.

"I TEACH DEAF CHILDREN
IN BERKELEY.

"I REALLY ENJOYED YOUR SHOW.

"I WAS WONDERING--

"I DO SOME MIME MYSELF.

"WHERE AM I ABLE TO GET
SOME FURTHER TRAINING

IN THE ART OF MIME?"

HE LOOKED AT ME
AFTER READING THE NOTE.

HE SAYS, "WELL, LET ME SEE YOU
PERFORM NOW."

I SAID, "ME? NO."

I THOUGHT, "OK. WHY NOT?"
SO I TOOK OFF MY JACKET,

TOOK OFF MY NECKTIE.

MARCEL TOOK A SEAT ON STAGE,

AND YOU WANT TO SEE
WHAT I DID FOR HIM?

YES? YES?

OK. THIS PIECE I CALL
"NOAH'S ARK."

HERE IT IS.

WHAT ARE YOU TELLING ME TO DO?
WHAT? OH.

ME BUILD AN ARK?

OH? YES. I WILL, MY LORD.



AND I PERFORMED A COUPLE
OTHER PIECES FOR HIM,

AND HERE'S ANOTHER ONE THAT
I DID WHEN I WAS A LITTLE BOY.

IT'S CALLED
"ONE MAN'S ORCHESTRA."

I'LL PERFORM THIS ONE FOR YOU.



UPON SEEING THIS,
MARCEL MARCEAU WROTE A NOTE

AND HANDED IT TO ME,
AND I GRABBED THE NOTE

AND LOOKED AT IT, AND IT SAID--

WELL, THIS WAS THE MOST
IMPORTANT PIECE

OF PAPER I EVER GOT.

I'LL CHERISH IT FOREVER.

I PLAN TO DONATE IT
TO THE GALLAUDET ARCHIVES,

BUT WAIT A SECOND.

I WILL MAKE A COPY
AND PROVIDE A COPY

TO THE NTID ARCHIVES,
AS WELL, OK?

SO HE WROTE TO ME SAYING,
"I LIKE WHAT I SAW."

"I'M INVITING YOU TO PARIS
TO STUDY ALONG MY SIDE

FREE OF CHARGE"...

AND TO THAT, I SHOOK HIS HAND
IN BEWILDERMENT,

AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN,
I WOKE UP.

I WAS BACK ON THE PLANE
FROM MY NAP...

RECALLING THAT TIME
AND ARRIVING INTO PARIS,

AND SO I OPENED THE SHADE AND
SAW THAT THE SUN HAD COME UP.

I HAD JUST LEFT THE U.S.,

AND NOW I WAS FLYING INTO PARIS
AND THE SUNRISE,

AND SO WE GOT TO PARIS,

AND I STUDIED
WITH MARCEL MARCEAU,

AND I'D LIKE TO ADD
A FEW OTHER STORIES,

ESPECIALLY WHAT I LEARNED
FROM MARCEL.

HE TAUGHT ME HOW TO BREATHE
APPROPRIATELY ON STAGE.

YOU MAY SAY, "BREATHE?
WHAT DO YOU MEAN?"

HE SAYS, "WELL, YOU MUST BREATHE
TO THE POINT WHERE PEOPLE

CAN HEAR YOU IN THE BACK,
IN THE BALCONY."

I HAD NO IDEA
WHAT THAT WAS LIKE,

BUT MARCEL WAS VERY EXACT
IN CONTROLLED BREATHING.

YOU KNOW, SUPPOSE YOU'RE TALKING
ABOUT A BIRD THAT YOU FOUND

AND THE BIRD WAS SICK AND DYING

AND YOU WERE TRYING
TO CONSOLE THE BIRD

AND YOU ARE BREATHING
ON THE BIRD

TO TRY TO MAKE THAT CONNECTION
ON THAT LITTLE BIRD.

YOU WOULD HAVE TO CONTROL
YOUR BREATHING.

BREATHE LIKE THE BIRD.

BREATHE. EXHALE ON THE BIRD,

AND SO THROUGH THOSE TECHNIQUES,
I LEARNED FROM MARCEL.

ANOTHER STORY, ONE MORE STORY
I'LL SHARE WITH YOU,

LOOKING BACK, I REMEMBER
THIS OTHER TIME WITH MARCEL.

I TRAVELED A LOT.

ONE TIME, I FLEW INTO CHICAGO.
I RAN INTO HIM.

ANOTHER TIME, I FLEW INTO PARIS.
I RAN INTO MARCEL.

I'VE MET HIM IN LONDON.

IT WAS SUCH A COINCIDENCE
TIME AND TIME AGAIN,

AND WHENEVER WE MET,
WE'D ALWAYS GO OUT TO EAT

AT A RESTAURANT, AND I WAS
ALLOWED TO BRING MY FRIEND.

I EVEN BROUGHT A REALLY GOOD
FRIEND OF MINE

NAMED MICHAEL SCHWARTZ,
WHO IS NOW A LAW PROFESSOR

AT SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY.

I SEE HE'S SITTING
IN THE FRONT ROW--

HEY, MICHAEL--

AND HE LOVED MARCEL
AS I DID, TOO.

HE WORSHIPPED HIM,
SO HE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY

TO JOIN ME TO SEE MARCEL
AND THEN MEET HIM BACKSTAGE

AND TO SHAKE HIS HAND.

IT WAS, YOU KNOW, A THRILL
OF A LIFETIME FOR MICHAEL.

YES.

LET'S SEE. AND, UM--HMM.

OH, YES. SO THAT--

ONE TIME, I RAN INTO MARCEL
IN MOSCOW.

I WAS PERFORMING
WITH THE RUSSIAN GROUP.

I WAS THERE FOR A WEEK
FOR REHEARSALS,

AND WE WERE PUTTING ON
A GREEK PLAY,

AND I WAS TOLD THAT MARCEL
WAS IN TOWN.

I SAID, "WHAT, AGAIN?
WHAT A COINCIDENCE.

"WE'VE MET IN ALL THESE
OTHER CITIES AND NOW MOSCOW,

MOSCOW, RUSSIA,"

SO I FOUND OUT WHAT HOTEL
HE WAS STAYING AT.

I GOT TO THAT HOTEL,
AND I RAN INTO HIM,

GAVE HIM A BIG HUG,
SO HAPPY TO SEE HIM,

AND HE SAID, HE'S HERE
FOR JUST TWO PERFORMANCES...

AND THE MOSCOW MIME GROUP
INVITED HIM

WITH THIS PURPOSE.

THEY WERE GONNA GO GRAB
A NICE MEAL THAT NIGHT,

SO HE INVITED ME TO JOIN THEM
FOR THE DINNER AFTER THE SHOW,

SO WE GOT INTO
THIS FINE LIMOUSINE IN MOSCOW

AFTER THE SHOW.

OH, I HAD THE CHANCE
TO SEE HIS PERFORMANCE,

AND ONCE THAT WAS DONE,
WE WENT

TO THIS FINE RESTAURANT,
AND I SAT AT A BIG, LONG TABLE

WHERE PEOPLE WERE SITTING
ACROSS FROM ONE ANOTHER,

AND THESE WERE ALL MEMBERS
OF THIS MOSCOW MIME GROUP,

AND NOW, MARCEL WAS SITTING
A COUPLE CHAIRS AWAY FROM ME.

WE HAD AN INTERPRETER,

A SPOKEN RUSSIAN-FRENCH
INTERPRETER.

NOW, THIS INTERPRETER
ALSO ASSISTED ME

WRITING ENGLISH WORDS
ON A PIECE OF PAPER

SO I HAD ACCESS
TO THE CONVERSATION,

AND I JUST NEEDED ONE
OR TWO WORDS,

AND I KNEW WHAT WAS BEING SAID,
SO THERE, SOMEBODY PROCEEDED

TO POUR LITTLE SHOTS OF VODKA,

WHICH THE RUSSIANS
ARE WELL-KNOWN FOR...

AND THEN WE PROCEEDED
TO TAKE TURNS GIVING SPEECHES,

AND UPON THE COMPLETION
OF EACH SPEECH,

YOU TOOK A SHOT OF VODKA,

SO SPEECH AFTER SPEECH,
WE DOWNED THE VODKA,

AND EVERYONE AT THE TABLE
TOOK THEIR TURN,

WHETHER IT WAS SPEAKING
OR DRINKING VODKA.

THEN IT CAME TO MARCEL'S TURN,

AND HE GAVE
THE LONGEST SPEECH OF ALL.

HE'S A MAN OF MANY WORDS,
DESPITE BEING A MIME,

SO HE WENT ON TO SAY A FEW WORDS
HERE AND THERE,

AND THE INTERPRETER WROTE
A COUPLE WORDS TO ME

SO I KNEW WHAT HE WAS SAYING
DURING THAT TIME,

AND HE KEPT GOING, GOING,
AND THEN HE RAISED

HIS SHOT OF VODKA,
AND HE DRANK IT,

AND THEN THE SHOT GLASSES
WERE FILLED AGAIN,

AND MARCEL POINTED AT ME
AND SAID, "IT'S YOUR TURN."

I SAID, "ME?"
HE SAYS, "YEAH.

"YOU WRITE SOMETHING DOWN
AND GIVE IT TO THE INTERPRETER,

"AND THE INTERPRETER
CAN TRANSLATE IT

INTO SPOKEN RUSSIAN,"
AND MARCEL KNEW

THAT HE COULD READ THE PAPER
BECAUSE HE COULD READ ENGLISH,

SO HE PROCEEDED TO TELL ME,
"GO AHEAD,"

SO I TOOK THE SHEET OF PAPER
FROM THE INTERPRETER,

AND I THOUGHT ABOUT IT.

EVERYBODY WAS LOOKING AT ME.

I SET THAT PIECE OF PAPER DOWN,
AND I GAVE MY SPEECH.

HERE IT IS.

AND MARCEL AT THAT MOMENT SAID

THAT WAS THE MOST AMAZING
SPEECH HE HAD EVER SEEN

IN HIS ENTIRE LIFE,

THAT I WAS TRUE TO ARMS
TO THE MIME,

SO EVERY TIME I WOULD
RUN INTO MARCEL HERE AND THERE,

HE STILL TALKS
ABOUT THAT SPEECH.

HE SAYS, "YOU ARE ONE HECK
OF A SPEECHWRITER,

AND HE WOULD ALWAYS
GIVE ME A HUG.

HE ALWAYS GAVE ME PRAISE.

HE EVEN AT ONE POINT
RAISED MY ARM.

HE SAID, "BERNARD BRAGG,
THE CHAMP OF SPEECH."

ACTUALLY HURT MY SHOULDER,
BUT I THANKED HIM

AT THE SAME TIME,
AND NOW HE'S GONE.

LOVE YOU, MARCEL.

OK.

THIS IS THE WORST BLUNDER
I EVER MADE

IN MY FLYING CAREER.

I WAS FLYING TO ENGLAND,
TO LONDON.

I WAS GONNA APPEAR
ON A BBC TV PROGRAM.

I GAVE MY PERFORMANCE.
LET'S SEE.

THAT WAS IN THE 1960s,
FLEW TO, YES, PARIS,

WAS THERE FOR THE 150th
CELEBRATION

HONORING L'EPEE,

THE FOUNDER OF THE FIRST SCHOOL
FOR THE DEAF IN PARIS,

SO MANY WERE GATHERED,
AND I PERFORMED

FOR ABOUT AN HOUR,
AND UPON COMPLETION

OF MY PERFORMANCE, I HAD
A CHANCE TO MEET SEVERAL PEOPLE.

THEN I MET THIS ONE INDIVIDUAL
WHO SAID,

"MY NAME IS DRAGO VUKOTIC,"
AND THIS WAS HIS SIGN NAME.

HE WAS PRESIDENT OF THE WFD,

AND SO NOW YOU SEE HOW I HAVE
BEEN CONNECTED WITH THE WFD

FOR MANY YEARS
BECAUSE OF DRAGO,

WHO'S WORKED LONG AND HARD
TO HELP ESTABLISH

THE WFD AND THEIR WORKS
ALL ACROSS THE WORLD.

ANYWAY, HE INTRODUCED HIMSELF
TO ME AND SAID,

"LISTEN. I WANT YOU TO FLY
TO YUGOSLAVIA,"

WHICH WAS HIS HOME.

THIS IS A SIGN
FOR YUGOSLAVIA...

BUT NOW THAT COUNTRY
IS NO LONGER UNITED,

BUT I HAD A CHANCE TO GO
TO YUGOSLAVIA

WHEN IT WAS ONE UNITED COUNTRY.

HE WANTED ME TO GO
TO THEIR NATIONAL TV PROGRAM

WITH OTHER DEAF MIMES
JUST LIKE MYSELF...

AND IT WAS IN ZAGREB,
WHERE HE LIVED,

AND I SAID, "SURE. CERTAINLY."

I ACCEPTED HIS INVITATION.

YOU KNOW, IN THAT DAY AND AGE,

YOU COULD MAKE RESERVATIONS
LAST MINUTE.

THERE WAS NOTHING TO IT.

YOU KNOW, I HAD THE OPEN DATE,
AND SO THAT WAS OK,

BUT, COMPARED TO TODAY,
YOU HAVE TO PLAN

WELL IN ADVANCE, AND, YOU KNOW,
YOU CAN'T MAKE ANY MISTAKES.

ANYWAY, BACK THEN,
THINGS WERE SO MUCH EASIER.

ANYWAY, SO I BOOKED MY FLIGHT,

AND I FLEW TO THE WRONG CITY.

I SHOULD'VE FLOWN TO BELGRADE,
THE CAPITAL, WHERE DRAGO LIVED.

HE WAS EXPECTING ME
AT THE AIRPORT,

AND HE HAD MY VISA ALL READY
TO HAND ME,

BUT I DIDN'T KNOW THAT,
SO INSTEAD,

I FLEW TO ANOTHER CITY
400 MILES OFF COURSE--ZAGREB...

SO I FLEW INTO ZAGREB,
GRABBED MY BAG,

WALKED UP TO THE CUSTOMS
OFFICIAL,

GAVE HIM MY PASSPORT,
AND WAS ASKED WHERE MY VISA WAS,

AND I SAID, "VISA?
I DON'T HAVE A VISA,"

AND THEY SAID, "SORRY.
YOU HAVE TO GO BACK

FROM WHERE YOU FLEW IN."

I SAID, "I'M SUPPOSED TO MEET
SOMEBODY HERE,"

BUT THEY WOULDN'T LET ME
ENTER THE COUNTRY OF YUGOSLAVIA

BECAUSE I DID NOT HAVE A VISA.

I THOUGHT, "WELL, DRAGO DIDN'T
TELL ME ABOUT A VISA."

I DIDN'T KNOW
WHAT I DIDN'T KNOW,

BUT DRAGO HAD PLANNED
TO GIVE ME A VISA

WHEN HE MET ME AT THE AIRPORT...

SO I CALLED HIM, AND I SAID,
"OH, I DIDN'T KNOW THAT,"

AND SO DRAGO CONTACTED
THIS OTHER VERY SMART MAN,

A NEWSPAPER EDITOR
OF A DEAF MAGAZINE,

AND HE HAD A PICTURE OF ME
FROM A PRIOR PIECE

ON THE FRONT OF A MAGAZINE,
SO DRAGO ASKED HIM

TO COME PICK ME UP
AT THE AIRPORT,

SO THERE I WAS,
STANDING, WAITING,

AND I EXPLAINED TO THE SECURITY
THAT I'M MEETING A FRIEND

WHO'S GONNA HELP ASSIST ME
GET THROUGH CUSTOMS,

AND THEY SAID, "NO.
YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED TO DO THAT,"

AND THESE BIG TWO UGLY
SECURITY GUARDS

WERE PREVENTING ME FROM LEAVING.

THEY POINTED TO A ROOM WHERE
I HAD TO STAY AND WAIT,

AND SO THERE I WAS,
UNSURE WHAT TO DO,

AND THEN I NOTICED
A SECURITY GUARD

HAVING A CIGARETTE AND TALKING
TO THE OTHER GUARD,

AND I THOUGHT,
"HERE'S MY CHANCE."

I BOLTED OUT THE DOORS,
RAN TO THE OUTSIDE,

AND SAW THE PEOPLE AND WAS
TRYING TO FIND MY FRIEND

WHO WAS GONNA HELP ME GET
THROUGH CUSTOMS, AND I SAW HIM.

I SAID, "YEAH. HERE I AM.
HERE I AM,"

AND THE SECURITY GUARDS
RAN OVER, GRABBED ME,

PICKED ME UP, AND PROCEEDED
TO BRING ME BACK

INTO THE ROOM AND SHUT THE DOOR,
AND I SAID,

"WELL, HE WAS MY FRIEND,"
AND THEN THE PERSON

KNOCKED AT THE DOOR,

AND THE SECURITY GUARD
TALKED TO THE GENTLEMAN,

WHO WAS HARD-OF-HEARING,
AND EXPLAINED

THAT THEY WERE THERE
TO PICK ME UP,

AND THEN A CONVERSATION ENSUED,
AND THEY CALLED DRAGO,

WHO WAS WELL-KNOWN.

HE WAS AN ADMINISTRATOR
IN A VOCATION REHAB

IN YUGOSLAVIA, SO AS A RESULT
OF SOME BACK AND FORTH...

I WAS ALLOWED
TO GET A VISA STAMPED,

AND I MADE MY WAY
OUT OF THE AIRPORT,

AND THE SECURITY GUARD
WAS STANDING THERE.

AS I PROCEEDED TO LEAVE,
I SAID, "THANK YOU VERY MUCH,"

AND I TIPPY-TOED AND GOT OUT

AND ENJOYED MY TIME
IN YUGOSLAVIA.

LET'S SEE, SO NEXT--

LET ME SEE WHAT'S NEXT.

HERE'S AN EXPERIENCE THAT I HAD
THAT WAS LIKE

RIDING IN A PLANE
THAT WAS ON AN OCEAN...

RIDING THE WAVES OF AN OCEAN.

WELL, IT WAS MY EXPERIENCE,
SO LET ME SHARE.

WHEN I WAS A MEMBER OF THE
NATIONAL THEATRE OF THE DEAF,

WE TRAVELED A LOT, FAR AND WIDE,

TO MANY DIFFERENT CITIES,
MANY DIFFERENT COUNTRIES.

WE FLEW TO EUROPE,
AND WE WOULD VISIT MANY CITIES.

FOR EXAMPLE, WE OFTEN WOULD STOP
AND VISIT PARIS,

AND I HAD A CHANCE
TO GO TO PARIS,

AND WE WERE SUPPOSED TO THEN
GO ON TO ISRAEL FOR A TOUR.

IT WAS A VERY EXCITING TIME,
SO THAT NIGHT,

WE GOT TOGETHER, AND WE WENT
TO THIS FINE FRENCH RESTAURANT;

HAD A NICE MEAL;
DRANK SOME FINE, FRENCH WINE;

HAD A GOOD TIME.

AT THE END OF OUR EVENING,
WE WENT OUT TO THE STREET

AND ENJOYED SEEING
THE LIGHTS OF PARIS...

AND, AS IT TURNED OUT,
I WASN'T FEELING GOOD

AFTER SUCH A LARGE MEAL.

THERE WAS SOMETHING WRONG
WITH MY STOMACH,

AND I WAS FEELING
KIND OF WHEEZY AND DIZZY,

AND MY FRIEND SAID,
"YOU LOOK WHITE AS A GHOST.

WHAT'S WRONG?"

I SAID, "I DON'T KNOW.
I'M HAVING SOME DISCOMFORT.

IT'S A BURNING SENSATION
RIGHT HERE."

I VOMITED, BUT THEN
MY FRIEND SAID,

"UGH. WE BETTER GET YOU
TO THE HOSPITAL,"

AND SO THEY HURRIEDLY
TOOK ME TO THE HOSPITAL,

AND THE PAIN WAS EVEN
GETTING MORE SEVERE.

FORTUNATELY, WE FOUND
AN AMERICAN HOSPITAL IN PARIS.

I LAID DOWN ON A HOSPITAL BENCH.
I WAS SCREAMING.

FINALLY, TWO DOCTORS CAME OUT
TO ME AND SAID,

"OK. WHAT'S WRONG?"
AND WE HAD

THIS WOMAN INTERPRETER WHO WAS
A REALLY SWEET INTERPRETER,

SAYS, "GET TO HIM. GET TO HIM.
COME OVER HERE.

HELP HIM. HELP HIM," YOU KNOW.

"WHAT'S WRONG WITH HIM?"
AND SO THE DOCTORS

CHECKED ME OUT,
AND THEY DIAGNOSED ME

AS HAVING A KIDNEY STONE
ATTACK.

THOUGHT, "ME?
KIDNEY STONE ATTACK?

THAT EXPLAINS IT,"

AND THE DOCTOR SAID,
"YOU NEED TO BE GIVEN

A SHOT OF MORPHINE"...

AND YOU HAVE NO IDEA
WHAT THAT WAS LIKE.

I HAD THIS PAIN.

IT'S WORSE THAN CHILDBIRTH,
SO I'VE BEEN TOLD.

DO YOU BELIEVE ME?
YOU'RE LAUGHING.

YOU DON'T BELIEVE ME?

WELL, I HAVE A GOOD FRIEND.
SHE'S A WOMAN.

SHE'S HAD 3 CHILDREN,

AND SHE'S ALSO EXPERIENCED
A KIDNEY STONE ONCE,

AND SHE SAID THE WORST PAIN
WAS THE KIDNEY STONE

OVER THE CHILDBIRTH,
SO THERE YOU HAVE IT,

SO IT'S NOT JUST ME SPEAKING...

SO THEY GAVE ME THE SHOT
OF MORPHINE,

AND YOU HAVE NO IDEA.

I WOKE UP AT 3:00
IN THE MORNING...

FEELING LIGHTHEADED.

I WAS LIKE,
IT WAS LIKE HEAVEN,

AND A NURSE CAME IN,

AND SHE LOOKED LIKE AN ANGEL,
A BEAUTIFUL ANGEL, TO ME...

AND I DIDN'T WANT TO GET
ANOTHER SHOT

BECAUSE I'D BE HOOKED FOR LIFE,
BUT ANYWAY, IN THE MORNING,

THE SAME NURSE CAME IN,
AND, WELL,

SHE WASN'T SO PRETTY THEN.

SHE WAS QUITE UGLY
AND FEELING AROUND

AND TAKING CARE OF ME,
SO CLEARLY, THE MORPHINE

HAD WORN OFF, BUY ANYWAY,
SO I HAD THE KIDNEY STONE,

AND IT WAS PASSING THROUGH ME,
AND I WAS OK,

BUT THE DOCTOR SAID, "WE NEED
TO WATCH YOU FOR A COUPLE DAYS

JUST FOR OBSERVATION PURPOSES,"

AND I THOUGHT, "OH, NO."

THAT NIGHT, DAVID HAYES,
THE PERSON WHO HELPED ME

ESTABLISH NT of D,
CAME TO MY ROOM WITH HIS WIFE.

THEY SAID, "YOU KNOW WHAT?

WE HAVE TO FLY TO ISRAEL
TOMORROW,"

AND I SAID, "I KNOW THAT."

"YOU HAVE A LEADING ROLE, TOO,"
DAVID SAID.

"WE NEED YOU. WE'RE VISITING
6 CITIES IN ISRAEL.

WITHOUT YOU, WE HAVE TO CANCEL
ALL THESE SHOWS."

I SAID, "I KNOW THAT, BUT--
I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE TELLING ME."

DAVID SAID, "WHY DON'T YOU
SIGN A RELEASE

SO YOU CAN BE DISCHARGED
FROM THE HOSPITAL?"

I WAS OK WITH THAT, YOU KNOW?

I WANT TO SAVE NT of D
AND HAVE THE SHOW GO ON.

I WAS WILLING
TO SIGN A RELEASE...

AND THEY SAID, "DON'T WORRY,"
THAT IN ISRAEL,

THEY HAVE MANY, MANY DOCTORS.

JEWISH PEOPLE
LOVE THEIR DOCTORS,

SO I WAS OK WITH THAT,
AND I WENT AHEAD

TO SIGN THE RELEASE BECAUSE THEY
SAID I WOULD BE IN GOOD HANDS

IN ISRAEL, SO WE WERE ABLE
TO GET DISCHARGED

FROM THE HOSPITAL
LATER THAT EVENING.

THE FOLLOWING MORNING,
WE BOARDED A FLIGHT,

AND TOGETHER,
WE WERE FLYING TO ISRAEL.

NOW, IN FLIGHT, I SAT
ON ONE SIDE OF THE PLANE

IN THE FRONT BY MYSELF.

WHEN WE TOOK OFF,
IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL, QUIET DAY,

AND DAVID WALKED UP TO ME
AT ONE POINT AND SAID,

"HERE. HERE'S SOME WATER.
DRINK IT.

YOU NEED TO DRINK
PLENTY OF WATER,"

SO I DRANK THE WATER,
AND AFTER A WHILE,

DAVID'S WIFE LENORA ALSO
BROUGHT ME A GLASS OF WATER,

SAID, "YOU MUST DRINK THIS."

I SAID, "I JUST DRANK A CUP."
"NO. DRINK MORE,"

SO I PROCEEDED TO DRINK
THAT CUP,

AND THEN ANOTHER ACTOR
BROUGHT ME ANOTHER CUP.

BEFORE YOU KNOW IT,
I HAD A GALLON OF WATER IN ME,

SO GUESS WHAT I HAD TO DO--

GO TO THE REAR OF THE PLANE
AND RELIEVE MYSELF.

AND THAT HAPPENED
ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION.

THEY KEPT BRINGING THE WATER
OVER AND OVER AGAIN,

AND AGAIN I'D GO
TO THE BACK OF THE PLANE

TO RELIEVE MYSELF,
AND WHAT HAPPENED,

THE PLANE WAS RIDING ON WAVES.

THAT'S WHAT IT FELT LIKE.

NOW, MY VERSION OF MIME
I CALL VISUAL VERNACULAR,

OR, BETTER YET, VV.

IT'S A FORM OF MIME,

BUT IT'S DIFFERENT
THAN TRADITIONAL MIME.

ALL THE ACTION IS DONE IN PLACE,

AND YOU USE FILM TECHNIQUES
THROUGH EDITING,

THROUGH CLOSE-UPS,
DISTANCE SHOTS.

THAT'S VV.



TWO JETS FLYING OVER.

TWO PILOTS TALKING
TO EACH OTHER.

YOUNG KIDS PLAYING JUMP ROPE.

A TRUCK DRIVER DRIVING
DOWN A DIRT ROAD.

THERE'S HOUSES AND TREES,
KIDS PLAYING SOCCER.

MORE JUMP ROPES,

AND THE PLANES
GET CLOSER AND CLOSER.

THE PILOTS TALK TO EACH OTHER.

THE BOMBARDIER LOOKS DOWN

AND TARGETS THE BOMBING AREA.

THE TRUCK DRIVER CONTINUES
TO DRIVE HIS TRUCK

DOWN THE ROCKY DIRT ROAD.

THE KIDS ENJOYING
SOME JUMP ROPE...

OR SOCCER PLAYING HAPPENING...

MORE HOUSES AND TREES
THROUGHOUT THE AREA,

AND AS THE TWO JETS APPROACH
THE TARGETED AREA,

THEY OPEN THE BOMB BAY DOORS,

AND THE BOMBS FALL OUT
AND MAKE THEIR WAY

DOWN TO THE EARTH

NEAR THE HOUSES, THE TREES,

THE KIDS JUMP-ROPING,
THE TRUCK DRIVER...

THE SOCCER GAME,

THE TREES, THE HOUSE.

ALL OF A SUDDEN,
DESTRUCTION, EXPLOSIONS,

FIRE EVERYWHERE...

AND YOU SEE A BIRD
PERCHED ON A TREE,

WITH ITS BEAK REACHES OVER

FOR A BRANCH
AND PULLS APART...

THE OLIVE BRANCH,

AND IT FLIES UP INTO THE SKY.

FUNNY, WHILE I WAS REHEARSING
THIS PIECE

WHILE FLYING TO SPAIN,
I WAS PRACTICING

USING MY HANDS AS A BEAK
AND GRABBING

THE OLIVE BRANCH
OFF THE TREE.

PEOPLE SITTING IN MY SAME ROW
WERE LOOKING AT ME, SAYING,

"WHAT IS THIS GUY DOING
WITH HIS HANDS?

MAYBE HE HAS
PARKINSON'S DISEASE."

OH, WELL. IT WAS A GOOD TIME...

AND JUST FOR YOUR KNOWLEDGE,

I DEVELOPED THAT FORM OF MIME
MANY YEARS AGO,

AND I TAUGHT IT FOR YEARS,
TRAVELED QUITE A BIT...

INTERNATIONALLY, DOMESTICALLY.

YOU KNOW, IT'S A GREAT
FILM TECHNIQUE, THAT.

THE VISUAL VERNACULAR
IS PART OF OUR LANGUAGE.

IT'S A FOUNDATION
OF WHAT WE'RE REALLY GOOD AT,

THE MOVIEMAKING TECHNIQUE,
THE EYE, THE FILM,

SHOOTING, HOW WE SEE THINGS,

HOW WE MAKE ACTION
WITH OUR HANDS,

THE HANDSHAPES
THE VISUALIZATION,

AND I FEEL THAT VV
IS A PART OF THAT,

AND I WANTED TO SHARE THAT
WITH YOU THIS EVENING,

SO NOW LET'S SEE
WHAT I HAVE NEXT.

OH, YES.

I DID A WORLD TOUR
BACK IN 1977.

I TRAVELED
AS A GOODWILL AMBASSADOR...

TRAVELED EXTENSIVELY
TO DIFFERENT CITIES,

25 DIFFERENT COUNTRIES
GIVING PRESENTATIONS,

WORKSHOPS,
INTERVIEWS FOR THE PRESS...

SEVERAL INTERVIEWS,

AS WELL AS TV APPEARANCES,
SHORT PERFORMANCES.

I MEAN, IT WAS A LOT OF WORK.

I'D SPEND A WEEK HERE,
A WEEK THERE,

TRAVELING ALL OVER THE WORLD.

I RECALL WHEN WE WERE
IN--LET'S SEE--MADRID.

YES. I WAS THERE
FOR A FULL WEEK OF WORK

DOING INTERVIEWS FOR THE PRESS,
AND THEN I HAD A CHANCE

TO FLY TO LISBON...

PORTUGAL.

THIS IS THE WRONG SIGN
FOR PORTUGAL.

THEIR SIGN IS THIS--
PORTUGAL.

SO I WAS THERE IN LISBON
ANOTHER WEEK

DOING THE SAME THING--

GIVING WORKSHOPS, PRESENTATIONS,
PERFORMANCES,

INTERVIEWS FOR THE PRESS,

AND AFTER THAT WEEK WAS DONE,

I RECALL, I HAD TO GO TO FRANCE
FROM LISBON.

I REMEMBER GETTING
TO THE AIRPORT,

AND I WAS ON THE TARMAC,
AND I SAW ALL THESE PLANES

IN A LINE, AND I WAS
WONDERING TO MYSELF,

"WHICH ONE IS MY PLANE?"

NOBODY GAVE ME
ANY KIND OF INSTRUCTION.

I LOOKED AROUND

I WAS A LITTLE CONFUSED,
SO I HAD TO GO TO THE ATTENDANT

AND SAY, "WHERE'S MY PLANE?"

AND THEY DIRECTED ME
TO MY PLANE.

THEY SAID,
"DON'T GET ON THAT ONE.

"THAT ONE'S GOING TO BRAZIL.

THE ONE NEXT TO IT
IS GOING TO FRANCE."

I'M GLAD I DIDN'T GET
ON THE WRONG PLANE

AND GO TO BRAZIL.

ANYWAY, SO KNOWING
WHERE MY PLANE WAS AT,

I WALKED OVER,
AND I APPROACHED THE STAIRCASE,

AND IT HAPPENED THAT THERE WAS
THIS TAP ON MY SHOULDER.

I TURNED MY HEAD,
AND, LO AND BEHOLD,

IT WAS THIS NICE, YOUNG WOMAN

WITH HER SON, A LITTLE BOY.

SHE LOOKED AT ME.
SHE SAYS, "ARE YOU DEAF?"

AND I SAID, "OH, SURE. YEAH.
YEAH. I'M DEAF. CAN I HELP YOU?"

SHE SAYS, "WELL, I SAW YOU
TALKING WITH THE ATTENDANT.

DO YOU READ LIPS?"

AND I RESPONDED,
"A LITTLE BIT, NOT MUCH,"

AND THEN SHE SAID, "WELL,
THIS IS MY SON, AND HE'S DEAF,"

AND I SAID, "REALLY?
JUST LIKE ME,"

THIS LITTLE, CUTE BOY
HOLDING HIS MOTHER'S HAND.

I LOOKED DOWN AT HIM,
AND I SQUATTED

TO SIGN AND CONVERSE WITH HIM,
AND I SAID, "I'M DEAF LIKE YOU,"

BUT THE MOTHER GRABBED MY WRIST.

I LOOKED UP AT HER.

SHE SAID, "PLEASE
DO NOT SIGN TO HIM,"

AND I SAT, BAFFLED.

"DON'T SIGN?"
SHE SAYS, "NO.

I WANT HIM TO LEARN
HOW TO SPEAK."

SEEING THAT,

I SAW PEOPLE GETTING
ON THE PLANE, AND I SAID,

"WELL, I HAVE TO LEAVE."

I GOT MY CARRY-ON,
AND I DECIDED TO WISH THEM WELL.

I PROCEEDED UP THE STAIRCASE
TO THE ENTRANCE OF THE PLANE.

I TURNED, AND I WAVED,

AND THE LITTLE BOY
JUST STARED AT ME.

I SAID, "BYE,"
AND THEN I WENT ON

AND GOT ON THE PLANE,
FOUND MY SEAT.

I HAD A WINDOW SEAT,

SO THEN I JUST SAT THERE.

"WELL," I THOUGHT, "OH, WELL"...

AND THEN WE HAPPENED TO LAND
IN MADRID FROM THERE,

AND I THOUGHT,
"OH, WE'RE REFUELING"...

AND SOME OTHERS
BOARDED THE PLANE IN MADRID,

SO AS IT TURNED OUT,
ONCE THE PEOPLE BOARDED,

THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT
BROUGHT A STACK OF NEWSPAPERS.

IT WAS A SPANISH-LANGUAGE
NEWSPAPER,

SO A WOMAN SITTING NEXT TO ME
GRABBED ONE,

AND THEY OFFERED ME
A SPANISH-LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER.

I SAID, "I DON'T KNOW SPANISH,
SO NO, THANK YOU,"

AND SO THEN I WAS
JUST SITTING THERE,

AND IT WAS TIME TO TAKE OFF,
SO WHILE WE'RE IN FLIGHT,

I'M LOOKING OUT THE WINDOW, AND
I CAN SEE THE EARTH BELOW ME,

SEE THE BLUE SKY,
THE WHITE CLOUDS.

I TURNED TO LOOK AT THE WOMAN
SITTING NEXT TO ME.

WELL, SHE HAS
HER NEWSPAPER SPREAD,

AND IN THE MIDDLE OF
THE NEWSPAPER WAS THIS MAGAZINE.

IT'S LIKE THE AMERICAN "PARADE"
MAGAZINE YOU GET

ON SUNDAY'S NEWSPAPER,
SO I SAW THERE WAS A CENTERFOLD,

AND IT WAS ONE OF ME,
MY PICTURE, PERFORMING,

AND THERE WAS AN INTERVIEW
TRANSCRIPT OF SOME

OF MY TRAVELS
AS A GOODWILL AMBASSADOR.

ALL OF THAT WAS LAID OUT THERE
IN THE CENTERFOLD.

I WAS SURPRISED.

THE WOMAN LOOKED OVER AT ME
AS I STARED AT HER,

AND SHE STARTED WONDERING,
"HMM."

FINALLY, SHE TAPPED ME
ON MY WRIST.

I LOOKED OVER AT HER,
AND SHE SAID, "IS THIS YOU?"

I SAID, "WELL, I THINK SO,"
AND SHE WAS AGHAST,

AND SHE CALLED
THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT OVER.

SHE SAYS, "LOOK. LOOK.
THIS IS HIM IN THE NEWSPAPER."

ANYWAY, BEFORE I KNOW IT,
EVERYONE ON THE PLANE

KNEW THAT IT WAS ME
IN THAT CENTERFOLD PIECE.

PEOPLE WERE ASKING ME
FOR MY AUTOGRAPH.

AS A RESULT, I WAS
ALL OF A SUDDEN A CELEBRITY

ON THIS PLANE.

SOME PEOPLE WOULD GO
TO THE BATHROOM.

THEY WOULD WALK BY
AND JUST STARE AT ME

AND THEN RETURN TO THEIR SEATS.

THEY WOULD CONTINUE
LOOKING AT ME.

SEVERAL PEOPLE AGAIN ASKED ME
FOR MY AUTOGRAPHS.

I FOUND IT KIND OF COMICAL, AND
THEN I LOOKED OUT THE WINDOW,

AND ALL I SAW
WAS NOT THE BLUE SKY,

NOT THE WHITE CLOUDS,
BUT I SAW A PICTURE

OF THAT LITTLE BOY
HOLDING HIS MOTHER'S HAND.

IF ONLY THE MOTHER
AND THAT LITTLE BOY

WAS ON THIS PLANE WITH US...

AND THEN WE MADE OUR WAY
TO FRANCE.

ANYWAY, THAT IS
"THEATER IN THE SKY,"

THE STORY OF MY LIFE,
MY LIFE ON WINGS.

I HAVE 4 MEMORIES
I WANT TO SHARE WITH YOU

OF PAST TRAVELS,
SOME NOT SO GOOD, SOME OK.

THERE WAS THIS ONE TIME
WHEN I WAS ON A PLANE,

AND IT WAS WITH
ALLEGHENY AIRLINES,

A SMALL AIRLINE, AND I WAS
FLYING OUT OF NEW YORK,

GOING TO MY DESTINATION,
AND SO I WAS WITH A FRIEND,

A FELLOW ACTOR,
AND HE WAS A MUCH BIGGER GUY,

SO WE WERE SITTING TOGETHER,
AND WE HAPPENED TO SEE

THESE TWO SEATS
IN THIS SMALL PLANE

THAT WE COULD
SIT FACING EACH OTHER.

WE THOUGHT, "THIS IS GREAT.

WE CAN CONVERSE
WHILE WE'RE FLYING,"

BUT THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT
WALKED OVER AND SAID,

"I'M SORRY. YOU CAN'T SIT HERE.
LOOK WHAT IT SAYS,"

AND IT SAID, "EXIT DOOR."

SHE SAYS, "YOU HAVE TO GO TO THE
BACK OF THE PLANE. I'M SORRY."

I SAID, "WELL,
WE'RE PRETTY STRONG,

"AND WE CAN VISUALLY HANDLE,
YOU KNOW,

AN EMERGENCY EVENT
WAS TO HAPPEN,"

AND THEN SHE SAID, "NOPE,"
AND SHE SHOWED US THE MATERIAL

THAT SAID WE COULD NOT
SIT THERE,

SO WE GAVE UP OUR SEATS,
AND WE WALKED BACK

TO THE REAR OF THE PLANE,
LOOKED OVER TO EACH OTHER,

AND SAID, "OH, WELL."

THEN WE SAW THIS OLD WOMAN

WALKING GINGERLY, AND SHE SAT
IN THE SEAT THAT WE WERE AT...

AND INSTEAD OF ALLEGHENY AIR,
I CALL IT AGONY AIR

BECAUSE WE AGONIZED
OVER THAT SITUATION.

ANY PROBLEMS WITH THAT? HA!

SO THE NEXT TIME
I'LL SHARE WITH YOU

WAS A FLIGHT TO EUROPE,
A VERY EXCITING TIME.

IT WAS AN OVERNIGHT FLIGHT,
AND IT'S A CHANCE FOR ME

TO DO A LOT OF READING,
SO I BROUGHT

ALL MY MATERIALS WITH ME,
GOT EVERYTHING SITUATED.

WE TOOK OFF, AND SO THERE I WAS.

I HIT THE LIGHT
TO ALLOW ME TO READ,

THE READING LAMP,
AND MINE DIDN'T WORK.

EVERYONE ELSE'S ON THE PLANE
WORKED EXCEPT MINE,

AND, UNFORTUNATELY,
I SAT IN THIS ONE SEAT

THAT DOESN'T HAVE
A FUNCTIONING LIGHT,

AND I'M THERE IN THE DARK.

I WASN'T GONNA STAY ALL NIGHT
IN THIS SEAT

BECAUSE I COULDN'T SLEEP,
SO I CALLED THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT

AND EXPLAINED TO HIM
THAT THE LIGHT WASN'T WORKING.

WELL, THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT
TRIED TO GET IT TO WORK,

AND AFTER A COUPLE FAILED
ATTEMPTS, NOTHING WORKED,

AND SO I ASKED,
"COULD WE SWITCH SEATS

"WITH A PASSENGER
WHO MAY NOT USE THE LIGHTS?

"MAYBE THEY WANT TO LISTEN
TO THEIR MUSIC AND SLEEP

WHILE I CAN READ,"

AND THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT SAID,
"LISTEN. BE QUIET.

LET ME GO FIND OUT
WHAT I CAN DO."

I THOUGHT, "WELL, MAYBE
I'LL GO SIT IN THE TOILET

AND USE THAT LIGHT
ALL NIGHT LONG,"

SO I SAT THERE WAITING
AND WAITING.

ALL OF A SUDDEN, THE CAPTAIN
APPROACHED ME, SAID,

"GRAB YOUR CARRY-ON
AND COME WITH ME,"

SO I GOT MY CARRY-ON
FROM THE OVERHEAD BIN,

GOT ALL MY STUFF,
MY READING MATERIAL,

AND FOLLOWED THE CAPTAIN.

WE WALKED THROUGH
THE BUSINESS CLASS,

AND WE KEPT GOING.

THEN WE ARRIVED IN FIRST CLASS,
AND THE CAPTAIN GESTURED,

"YOU HAVE THIS SEAT,"
AND I THOUGHT, "ME?"

AND I CHECKED THE LIGHT
TO MAKE SURE IT WORKED,

AND INDEED IT DID WORK,

AND THE CAPTAIN SAYS,
"WELL, THERE YOU HAVE IT,"

AND I SAID,
"WAIT A SECOND, CAPTAIN."

I WROTE ON THIS SHEET OF PAPER,
"THANK YOU.

YOU ARE MY ANGEL OF LIGHT,"

AND THE CAPTAIN LEFT,
AND I CONTINUED ON THE FLIGHT.

GREAT STORY, HUH?

LET'S SEE. THE THIRD MEMORY--

HMM, LET ME THINK BACK.
OH, YES. YES.

I HAD MY CARRY-ON,
AND I BOARDED A FLIGHT,

AND I WAS SITTING
IN THE LAST ROW OF THE PLANE,

AND I WAS OK WITH THAT
BECAUSE I HAD A MIDDLE SEAT

THAT THERE WAS NOBODY SEATED IN,
SO I HAD PLENTY OF ROOM.

I GOT MY READING MATERIALS.

I THOUGHT, "OH, THEY MUST HAVE
CLOSED THE DOORS,

"NO MORE PASSENGERS.

THAT MEANS I'LL BE VERY
COMFORTABLE ON THIS FLIGHT,"

BUT THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN,
THIS HUGE MAN

WADDLED DOWN THE AISLE,
AND I SAID,

"ARE YOU IN THIS ROW?"
AND HE SAID, "YES,"

AND SO I HAD TO MOVE OVER,
SIT IN THE MIDDLE SEAT,

AND THIS BIG GUY
TOOK THE SEAT ON THE AISLE

AND LITERALLY SQUISHED ME
UP AGAINST THE OTHER PASSENGER,

AND I SAID, "I'M SORRY.
I CAN'T MOVE.

I GOT THIS BIG GUY," AND
I CALLED THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT

AND WROTE THEM A NOTE.

ON THE NOTE, IT SAID,
"I HAVE A TERRIBLE CASE

"OF CLAUSTROPHOBIA,

"AND I WILL DIE
IF I CAN'T BREATHE.

PLEASE HELP ME"...

AND SO THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT
LEFT AND CAME BACK

AND SAID, "COME WITH ME."

I THOUGHT, "OK. GREAT,"
SO THE BIG GENTLEMAN GOT UP.

I WAS ABLE TO GET
OUT OF MY SEAT,

GATHER MY THINGS ONCE AGAIN,
AND NOW THIS BIG GENTLEMAN

HAD TWO SEATS,
SO HE WAS HAPPY, AS WELL.

I FOLLOWED THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT,
AND WE PROCEEDED

TO GO UP THE PLANE,
AND I HAD A FRONT SEAT,

BUT IT WAS A MIDDLE SEAT,
AND I WAS SITTING

BETWEEN THESE TWO MOTHERS
WITH LITTLE CHILDREN--OH, WELL--

BUT I WAS SO MUCH MORE
COMFORTABLE THAN I HAD BEEN,

HAD A CHANCE TO DO MY READING,
SO WHILE I WAS READING,

THE MOTHER SITTING NEXT TO ME
WAS TRYING TO MANEUVER THINGS,

AND SHE ASKED ME
IF I WOULD HOLD HER CHILD,

SO I GRABBED THE CHILD
IN MY ARMS

ASSISTING THAT MOTHER,
AND I TRIED TO MAKE FUN

WITH THE BABY,
MAKING A VARIETY OF FACES

AND DIDN'T DO SO WELL THERE,

SO ONCE I HANDED THE MOTHER
THE CHILD,

THE NEXT MOTHER SAID,
"CAN YOU HELP ME?

MY SON IS THROWING HIS TOYS
ALL ON THE FLOOR,"

SO I WAS PICKING
UP ALL THESE TOYS.

WELL, LONG AND SHORT OF IT,
I BECAME A BABYSITTER.

OH, WELL, AND THE FINAL ONE
I'LL SHARE WITH YOU

WAS PRETTY TERRIBLE.

LET'S SEE. OK.

DAVID HAYES, WHO WAS
THE GENTLEMAN I WORKED WITH--

WE FOUNDED THE NTD--
HAPPENED TO FLY TO LONDON...

FOR THE PURPOSE OF HAVING
A MEETING

WITH A CELEBRITY ACTOR
NAMED RICHARD BURTON.

YEAH. YOU KNOW HIM.

HE WAS MARRIED
TO ELIZABETH TAYLOR

NOT ONCE, BUT TWICE, SO WE'RE
ALL FAMILIAR WITH HIS STORY.

WELL, WE WERE GONNA MEET
JUST FOR THIS ONE TIME

SO HE COULD WORK WITH ME
IN MAKING ARRANGEMENTS

FOR A FILM FOR THE CBS TV SHOW.

IT WAS CALLED "A CHILD'S
CHRISTMAS IN WALES,"

SO WE WERE MAKING PLANS
FOR THAT, AND RICHARD

WAS GONNA BE MY VOICE.

THEY FELT IT WAS A GOOD MATCH.
I WAS SURPRISED AT THAT.

HE IS A MATCH FOR ME?
OH, WELL.

SO WE WERE GONNA WORK TOGETHER
GETTING OUR RHYTHM, OUR PACE,

OUR BREATHING ALL DOWN.

THEY FELT, AGAIN,
HE WAS THE PERFECT VOICE

TO MY SIGNING, AND WE WERE GONNA
WORK SIDE BY SIDE.

IT WAS QUITE AN HONOR.
I WAS THRILLED.

WE WERE JUST GONNA FLY
TO THE AIRPORT,

MEET IN A PRIVATE ROOM,
AND THEN FLY BACK TO NEW YORK.

I SAID, "WELL, WHY DOESN'T HE
JUST COME TO NEW YORK

OR I SEND HIM THE TAPES?"

AND THEY SAID, "NO. THE DIRECTOR
WANTS YOU TO MEET IN PERSON.

IT'S A REQUIREMENT
BY THE MANAGEMENT,"

SO WE TOOK THIS LONG FLIGHT
FROM NEW YORK TO LONDON.

WE GET TO LONDON,

AND WE WERE IN THIS SMALL,
PRIVATE ROOM,

SO WE SAT DOWN AND WAITED
AND WAITED,

AND THEN WE HAD TO MAKE
A COUPLE PHONE CALLS,

AND WE CONTINUED TO WAIT
AND WAIT,

AND THEN I SAW THE DIRECTOR
TAKE THE PHONE AND SLAM IT DOWN,

AND SAID, "DAMN IT.
HE CAN'T MAKE IT TODAY."

I SAID, "HE CAN'T COME?"

"NO. HE'S BEEN CALLED AWAY
TO SOME OTHER IMPORTANT MEETING,

SO HE'S UNABLE TO COME,"
SO WE WERE STUCK.

I SAID, "WILL WE JUST PUT IT
OFF TILL A COUPLE HOURS?"

THEY SAID, "NOPE.
IT'S BEEN CANCELLED,"

SO THEN WE HAD TO FLY BACK,
SO ALL THE TROUBLE

AND EXPENSE FOR NADA.

PLEASE. I WAS A LITTLE UPSET,
SO ANYWAY,

WE GOT BACK ON OUR FLIGHT
TO GO BACK TO NEW YORK,

BUT ABOUT HALFWAY
INTO THE FLIGHT,

I WAS SITTING THERE
BY THE WINDOW.

DAVID WAS SITTING ACROSS THE WAY
ON THE OTHER SIDE--

HE HAD A WINDOW SEAT, TOO--
SO I WAS DOING MY USUAL READING,

AND THEN I GOT A LITTLE TAP,
AND A PERSON

GAVE ME A SHEET OF PAPER
WITH WRITING ON IT,

AND SO I GRABBED
THE SHEET OF PAPER.

I LOOKED AT IT,
AND IT WAS INFORMING ME--

THEY KNEW THAT I WAS DEAF.

THEY SAW THAT I HAD TALKED
WITH A FLIGHT ATTENDANT

USING SIGN LANGUAGE.

THEY SAID, THEY JUST HEARD
THE PILOT ANNOUNCE

THAT WE WERE GOING BACK
TO LONDON

BECAUSE OF MECHANICAL PROBLEMS,

MECHANICAL PROBLEMS,
AND THEY HAD TO DUMP FUEL...

ON THEIR WAY BACK TO LONDON,
AND THERE I WAS.

I THOUGHT, "HMM."

I THANKED THE PERSON
FOR LETTING ME KNOW THAT.

I WALKED OVER TO DAVID.

HE'S READING HIS MAGAZINE.
I SAID, "DAVID..."

HE SAID, "YES, BERNARD?"

I SAID, "DID YOU HEAR THE PILOT
MAKE THE ANNOUNCEMENT

"ABOUT THE PLANE
HAVING MECHANICAL ISSUES

AND WE'RE GOING BACK TO LONDON?"

AND DAVID SAID, "YEAH.
I KNEW ALL ABOUT THIS."

I SAID, "WELL, WHY
DIDN'T YOU TELL ME?"

AND HE SAYS, "WHAT YOU
DON'T KNOW WON'T HURT YOU"...

SO I WENT BACK TO MY SEAT.

I SAT DOWN.

I WAS WORRIED.
THERE'S MECHANICAL ISSUES.

"ARE WE GONNA MAKE IT?
MAYBE DAVID WAS RIGHT.

"MAYBE IT'S BETTER OFF
NOT KNOWING,

ALL THIS WORRYING
ALL THE WAY BACK TO LONDON."

HMM. I MEAN,
THAT'S A FAIR QUESTION.

DO YOU THINK IT'S FAIR?

DO DEAF PEOPLE NEED TO BE SAVED?
NO. WE'RE EQUALS.

WE SHOULD'VE HAD ACCESS
TO THAT INFORMATION.

REMINDED ME OF A TIME WHEN
I WAS IN MY OFFICE BACK HOME

AND THEN I GOT A CALL
ON MY VIDEOPHONE,

SO I ANSWERED THE CALL,
AND IT WAS THIS OLD LADY.

SHE SAID, "HELLO."

I SAID, "HELLO.
I DON'T BELIEVE I KNOW YOU,"

AND SHE SAYS, "LOOK.

I'VE BEEN SICK
WITH TERRIBLE PAINS, NAUSEA."

I SAID, "WAIT A SECOND.
PLEASE TELL ME, WHO ARE YOU?

I DON'T RECOGNIZE YOU,"
AND SHE SAYS,

"LOOK. THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT.
I'VE BEEN SICK FOR A LONG TIME.

"I FINALLY FOUND
A MIRACLE CURE CALLED USEWEL,

"AND I FEEL SO MUCH BETTER.

"MY PAIN'S GONE.
MY NAUSEA'S ALL GONE.

"I FEEL SO MUCH BETTER,"
AND I ASKED HER,

"WHY ARE YOU SHARING THIS
WITH ME?"

AND SHE SAYS, "WELL, YOU SEE,
USEWEL, YOU SHOULD TRY IT."

I SAID, "WAIT. ARE YOU JUST
A TELEMARKETER?

IS THIS A PROMOTIONAL THING?"
AND SHE SAID, "YES,"

A PROMOTIONAL THING
BEING SHARED WITH ME.

I THOUGHT, YOU KNOW, "I KNOW HOW
HEARING PEOPLE PUT UP WITH THAT,

SAME AS DEAF PEOPLE,
AND I TOLD HER,

"WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

"I'M DOING JUST FINE,
PRETTY HEALTHY.

"I DON'T NEED THAT USEWEL.
THANK YOU.

DON'T BOTHER ME AGAIN.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH,"

AND I TURNED THE PHONE OFF.

OK.

I FEEL I CAN'T VERY WELL LEAVE
WITHOUT SHOWING YOU

ONE SONG I WROTE CALLED
"AN ANTHEM TO ASL"

HONORING AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE,
AND I WANT TO SHARE THAT

WITH YOU THIS EVENING.

OK, SO...

THE FIRST LETTER
OF THIS TITLE IS "ANTHEM"

AND "ASL," "A" AND "A,"
VERY INTERESTING.

YOU THINK ABOUT THE HANDSHAPES,
THE "A" HANDSHAPE,

THE "A" HANDSHAPE,
LOOK AT IT.

IT'S SO IMPORTANT TO OUR LIVES,
YOU KNOW, HOW IT'S USED.

IT HAS 5 DIFFERENT SIGNS
THAT I'LL SHARE WITH YOU

IN THIS PIECE.

IT'S SUCH A CRITICAL PART
OF OUR DEAF ESSENCE...

OUR SIGN LANGUAGE,

4 IMPORTANT COMPONENTS
OF THAT ESSENCE.

ONE IS LANGUAGE,

CULTURE, HERITAGE, AND THE ARTS,

AND I KEEP THEM CLOSE
TO MY HEART,

SO...

WITH THAT IN MIND, LET ME PUT
THIS PERFORMANCE ON FOR YOU...

AND I'LL DO EACH ONE
TWO TIMES, OK,

SO HERE YOU GO.

"A"--LIVE, LIVE.

"A"--
LOVE, LOVE.

"A"--PRIDE, PRIDE.

"A"--
SPORTS, SPORTS.

"A"--THEATER, THEATER.

"A"--
AGGRESSIVE, AGGRESSIVE.

"A"--PATIENCE, PATIENCE.

"A"--
ATTITUDE, ATTITUDE.

"A"--CHALLENGE, CHALLENGE.

"A"--
EXPERIMENT, EXPERIMENT.

"A"--SOCIALIZATION,
SOCIALIZATION.

CONTINUE.

"A"--REMEMBER, REMEMBER.

"A"--
TOGETHER, TOGETHER.

"A"--UP, UP.

THERE YOU HAVE IT.
THANK YOU.

WE'RE GETTING NEAR THE END NOW,
AND MY FATHER,

HE WAS A WONDERFUL STORYTELLER.

HE TOLD MANY STORIES.

HE LOVED TO SHARE STORIES
WITH MYSELF AND MY FRIENDS.

HE TALKED ABOUT A TIME
WHEN MY PARENTS WERE DATING,

BACK WHEN THEY WERE SWEETHEARTS.

THEY WENT TO MY FATHER'S
FATHER'S FARM IN CONNECTICUT.

ON THIS ONE AFTERNOON,
MY FATHER TOOK MY MOTHER

TO A LOCAL AIRPORT--
AN AIRFIELD, IF YOU WILL--

AND IT ONLY COST A DOLLAR FOR
A SHORT, 5-MINUTE PLANE RIDE,

AND MY FATHER HAD BEEN UP
ON THE PLANE SEVERAL TIMES,

SO HE INVITED MY MOTHER
TO TRY IT OUT.

MY MOTHER SAID, "NO.
I DON'T WANT TO. NO,"

AND HE IMPLORED MY MOM,
"PLEASE COME. YOU'LL ENJOY,"

AND SHE WAS RELUCTANT,
DID NOT WANT TO, SAID NO,

FLAT NO, BUT THEN THE PILOT
WAS WALKING UP,

AND HE WAS THIS NICE-LOOKING MAN
WITH A GROOMED MUSTACHE,

AND SO HE WALKED OVER.

HE SAID, "ARE YOU READY
TO TAKE A FLIGHT?"

MY MOTHER LOOKED OVER HIM,
AND SHE CAUGHT HIS EYE,

AND HE CAUGHT HERS,
AND SHE SAID, "OK. I'LL TRY IT,"

SO SHE GOT ON THE PLANE,
AND THEY TOOK OFF

AND DID CIRCLES
AROUND THE AIRFIELD.

MY FATHER WAS A LITTLE WORRIED
ABOUT MY MOTHER,

WHETHER SHE'D GET SICK,
WAS SHE SCARED,

WAS IT A BIG MISTAKE,
AND WHEN SHE LANDED,

MY MOTHER GOT OUT OF THE PLANE
AND SAID, "I WANT MORE.

I WANT MORE.
I WANT ANOTHER RIDE."

WELL, MY MOTHER FLEW A LOT
OVER THE YEARS,

FLEW HERE, FLEW THERE,
AND WHEN MY FATHER PASSED AWAY,

MY MOTHER CONTINUED
TO TRAVEL BY PLANE

UNTIL SHE WAS 83 YEARS OLD...

AND SHE SUFFERED A STROKE

AND SHE WAS PARALYZED
ON HER LEFT SIDE,

SO WE HAD TO PLACE HER
IN A NURSING HOME,

WHERE SHE GOT CARE,
AND I FLEW FROM WASHINGTON.

SEE, I WAS TEACHING
AT GALLAUDET,

SO I FLEW TO VISIT HER,
SEE MY MOM,

WANTED TO SEE
WHAT I COULD DO FOR HER

BECAUSE NOW GALLAUDET
HAD THAT PROTEST BACK IN 1988...

BUT I WAS HERE
HELPING MY MOM OUT

WHILE THE PROTEST WAS GOING ON.

WELL, ONE MORNING,
I CAME IN TO SEE MY MOM,

AND I SAW HER SITTING
IN A WHEELCHAIR

WITH HER HEAD COCKED
TO HER LEFT SIDE.

SHE COULDN'T RIGHT HERSELF,
AND ON HER ARM,

SHE WROTE IN PEN...

SHE WROTE, "I WANT WATER.
PLEASE GIVE ME WATER,"

ALL UP AND DOWN HER ARM,
"I AM THIRSTY,"

AND I SAW THAT,
AND I THOUGHT, "WHAT?

"WHERE'S THE PITCHER OF WATER?

WHERE IS THERE WATER
IN HER ROOM?"

I WALKED OUT IN THE HALL,
AND I SCREAMED

AT THE TOP OF MY LUNGS,

"I NEED HELP.
SOMEBODY COME HERE,"

AND PEOPLE HEARD IT,
AND THEY WERE SCARED.

THE NURSE WALKED OVER.

I SAID, "LOOK.
LOOK AT MY MOTHER.

LOOK HOW SHE WROTE ON HER ARM.
LOOK AT THIS,"

AND THE NURSE WAS AGHAST.

SHE'S SAYS,
"WHERE IS THE WATER?"

AND THERE WAS ON HER CHART
LISTED,

"SHE NEEDS PLENTY OF FLUIDS,"
SO I SAID, "WHERE IS HER WATER?"

AND THE NURSE ASKED ME,
"PLEASE DON'T SCREAM."

I SAID, "WELL, I'M NOT
GONNA SMILE.

"LOOKS WHAT'S HAPPENED.
SHE'S SUFFERED.

WHERE'S HER CARE?"

SO THEY CALLED THE SOCIAL WORKER
OVER, THE HEAD NURSE,

AND WE MET, AND I SAID
TO THESE PEOPLE,

"YOU CAN'T IGNORE MY MOTHER
JUST BECAUSE SHE'S DEAF.

"SHE'S HELPLESS.
SHE CAN'T FEND FOR HERSELF.

ARE YOU UNCARING?"
AND THEY EXPLAINED TO ME

THAT THEY'RE UNDERSTAFFED
AND THAT I NEEDED TO CALM DOWN,

SO I DID, AND I SAID, "OK."

THEY ASKED ME NOT TO WORRY.

THEY'RE TRYING THEIR BEST,

SO THAT THAT TIME,
I CHECKED ON MY MOM,

AND SHE WAS, YOU KNOW,
GIVEN THE WATER AND COMFORTED,

AND SHE GOT THE CARE SHE NEEDED,
SO THEN, YOU KNOW,

IT WAS A DAILY ROUTINE,
GOING BACK AND FORTH.

I HAD TO DO SOME WORK
WITH MY GALLAUDET PEOPLE

DURING THE PROTEST.

THE "DEAF PRESIDENT NOW"
MOVEMENT WAS HAPPENING,

SO I WAS DISTANTLY INVOLVED
WITH THAT,

AND I REMEMBER DRIVING TO SEE
MY MOM AFTER THIS ONE DAY,

AND THERE WAS
A PHYSICAL THERAPIST--

A LITTLE , SHORT WOMAN,
MAYBE ABOUT 40 YEARS OLD--

WITH MY MOTHER'S CHART,
AND SO I SAW HER.

SHE SAW ME. I SAID,
"THAT'S MY MOTHER'S CHART?"

"YEP." THE PHYSICAL THERAPIST
SAID, "YEP."

I SAID, "WELL, I'M DEAF,"
AND SHE SAYS,

"OH, I KNOW.
I CAN SEE IT ON THE CHART."

"OH, OK,"

AND SHE SAYS, "WELL, YOU KNOW,
I HAVE A DEAF COUSIN,

SO I KNOW HOW TO TALK
WITH DEAF PEOPLE."

I THOUGHT, "OH, REALLY? GREAT."

THEN SHE WALKED OVER
TO MY MOTHER,

AND MY MOTHER COULDN'T SEE HER
BECAUSE OF THE STROKE

AND THAT PARALYZATION
ON HER LEFT SIDE,

SO THE PHYSICAL THERAPIST
WAS DOING THAT,

WALKING AROUND,
LOOKING AT MY MOM,

AND SHE TAPPED MY MOTHER
ON HER LEFT SIDE,

WHERE SHE CAN'T FEEL ANYTHING.

IT'S TOTALLY NUMB.

I SAID, "WELL, SHE CAN'T FEEL.
SHE'S NUMB ON THAT SIDE,"

AND THE PHYSICAL THERAPIST SAYS,
"DON'T TELL ME.

I KNOW WHAT I'M DOING,"
AND I THOUGHT, "OK."

WELL, I SAID, "WHY DON'T YOU
GO OVER TO THE SIDE

WHERE SHE CAN SEE YOU?"

SHE SAID, "IT DOESN'T MATTER,"
AND THEN SHE WROTE A NOTE.

I LOOKED OVER AT WHAT
SHE WAS WRITING DOWN.

SHE WROTE HER NAME
ON A PIECE OF PAPER,

AND THEN SHE TOOK IT AND JUST
PUT IT IN FRONT

OF MY MOM'S FACE,
AND ALL MY MOM COULD SEE

WAS THIS SHEET OF PAPER.

IT WAS KIND OF STARTLING TO HER.

SHE DIDN'T SEE
THIS PHYSICAL THERAPIST,

AND I SAID, "BUT--BUT SHE NEEDS
TO BE ABLE TO SEE YOU.

"WHY DON'T YOU GET
ON THE OTHER SIDE

SO SHE CAN SEE YOU
AND THE PIECE OF PAPER?"

THAT PHYSICAL THERAPIST SAID,
"JUST LEAVE ME ALONE.

I KNOW WHAT I'M DOING."

I SAID, "NO, YOU DON'T."

I SAID, "YOU ARE THE PROBLEM."

SHE SAID, "NO.
YOUR MOTHER'S A PROBLEM."

I SAID, "NO.
YOU ARE THE PROBLEM,

AND I SCREAMED,
AND, I GOT TO TELL YOU,

MY SPEECH DOESN'T HAVE
MUCH THERE,

BUT WHEN I AM ANGRY,
MY SPEECH IS PERFECT.

DO YOU BELIEVE ME? HEH.

AND I TOLD HER, "YOU GET
THE HELL OUT OF THIS ROOM"...

AND THE PHYSICAL THERAPIST
WAS STUNNED AND LEFT THE ROOM,

SO THERE I WAS A SECOND TIME,
SO NOW AGAIN,

WE HAD TO MEET WITH
THE SOCIAL WORKER,

THE HEAD NURSE,
THIS PHYSICAL THERAPIST.

WE GOT TOGETHER TO DISCUSS
MY MOTHER'S CARE,

AND I SAID, "SHE IS NOT READY
TO WORK HERE."

I EXPLAINED TO HER HOW
THIS PHYSICAL THERAPIST

DIDN'T KNOW WHAT SHE WAS DOING.

THEY WERE TELLING ME
TO CALM DOWN.

I SAID, "I'M NOT GONNA
CALM DOWN. I'M NOT VERY HAPPY.

YOU KNOW, WHAT KIND
OF PLACE IS THIS?"

SO WE TALKED, AND THEY SAID,

"WELL, WE'RE TRYING
TO DO OUR BEST,

AND THE SOCIAL WORKED
TOLD ME, SAID,

"PLEASE, PLEASE CALM DOWN."

I SAID, "THIS IS
THE SECOND INCIDENT.

HOW MANY DO WE HAVE TO WAIT FOR,
THE THIRD OR FOURTH?"

SO I WENT TO MY MOTHER'S ROOM.

I SAID, "MOM,
I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO.

I THINK WE NEED TO MOVE YOU
TO ANOTHER NURSING HOME,"

AND MY MOM SAID, "YES."

SHE KNEW WHAT I WAS
TALKING ABOUT.

WE WERE GONNA MOVE HER
TO THE CCEC--

THE COLUMBUS COLONY
ELDERLY CARE FACILITY

THAT WAS IN COLUMBUS, OHIO.

MY AUNT WAS THERE, ALSO.

AND THEY ALSO HAVE
OTHER DEAF PATIENTS,

AND THE NURSING STAFF CAN SIGN
AT THE CCEC.

EVEN THOUGH IT WAS FARTHER AWAY,
MY MOTHER WAS WILLING

TO BE MOVED, SO I CALLED
A WOMAN NAMED JESSICA--

THE NURSING FACILITY
ADMINISTRATOR,

A VERY NICE WOMAN--
AND I SAID, "CAN WE--

DO YOU HAVE A BED AVAILABLE
FOR MY MOM?"

THEY SAID, "WELL, WE HAVE
A WAITING LIST.

IT'S RATHER LONG, SO JUST WAIT."

I THOUGHT, "OK.
WHAT AM I GONNA DO?"

AND A COUPLE DAYS LATER,
I GOT A CALL.

YES. THEY HAD FOUND A BED
FOR MY MOM,

SO I WAS GONNA FLY MY MOM,
FLY HER TO COLUMBUS,

WHICH MEANT WE'RE GONNA GET
AN AMBULANCE,

AS MERCY FLIGHT OF SORTS,
WHO WOULD TRANSPORT MY MOM

WITH AN RN FROM ONE PLACE
TO THE OTHER.

I ASKED HOW MUCH IT COSTS.

THEY SAID $5,000,
AND I WAS OK WITH THAT,

ANYTHING FOR MOM.

LET'S MAKE IT HAPPEN,
SO WE ARRANGED FOR MY MOM

TO BE FLOWN TO THE CCEC.

I WAS THERE FOR HER.

I MADE ARRANGEMENTS FOR MYSELF,
AND IT'S A GREAT PLACE.

MY MOM FLEW IN.

THEY BROUGHT HER INTO HER ROOM,
GOT HER ALL SETTLED.

I WENT AND CHECKED ON HER,
AND SHE SAID,

"I WANT TO SEE
MY FRIEND FRIEDA."

I SAID, "WELL, FRIEDA
IS NOT HERE.

THIS IS COLUMBUS.
SHE'S DOWN IN FLORIDA."

MOM SAYS, "NO. SHE'S HERE."

I SAID, "MOM, WE FLEW YOU HERE,"
AND MY MOM SAID, "I FLEW HERE?"

I SAID, "WELL, LET
ME EXPLAIN TO YOU.

"WE GOT YOU ON THIS MERCY FLIGHT
AND BROUGHT YOU HERE VIA FLIGHT.

WE GAVE YOU SOME MEDICINE
THAT MADE YOU SLEEP."

SHE SAYS, "I SLEPT?
I MUST HAVE MISSED MY FLIGHT"...

SO SHE WAS MUCH MORE
CARED FOR THERE,

AND I STAYED FOR ABOUT A WEEK,

YOU KNOW, BOUGHT HER
SOME NEW STUFF

AND GOT HER SETTLED IN.

I WANTED TO MAKE SURE
THAT I WAS VERY COMFORTABLE

WITH, YOU KNOW,
HOW SHE WAS SET UP THERE.

I ASKED THEM TO MAKE SURE
THEY LEAVE THE LIGHTS ON

BECAUSE THAT'S HER CONTACT
WITH THE WORLD,

AND FINALLY, JESSICA,
THE ADMINISTRATOR,

CALLED ME ASIDE AND SAID...

"YOU DON'T WANT US TO TAKE CARE
OF YOUR MOM FOR YOU?"

I SAID, "WELL, THAT'S NOT TRUE."

SHE SAYS, "WELL,
WHY DON'T YOU GO HOME?"

I SAID, "GO HOME?
WHAT'S GOING ON?"

SHE SAYS, "WELL, YOU DON'T KNOW,

BUT YOU MIGHT COLLAPSE
IF YOU KEEP UP THIS."

I SAID, "NO. NO.
I WON'T COLLAPSE."

SHE'S, "WELL, YOU MIGHT.
IT'S COMING.

"BEST IF YOU GO HOME.

PLEASE, WE'LL TAKE CARE
OF YOUR MOM FOR YOU."

I SAID, "OK. SURE. SURE. SURE,"
SO IT WAS TIME

FOR ME TO SAY GOOD-BYE
TO MY MOM.

I SAID, "MOM, I'M LEAVING SOON,"
AND SHE SAYS, "YEAH, RIGHT,"

YOU KNOW, AND SO GAVE HER,
YOU KNOW, A KISS

AND MADE SURE THAT SHE HAD
ALL THE FOOD SHE WANTED,

MAKE SURE SHE DIDN'T HAVE
THE FOOD SHE DIDN'T WANT,

TOOK CARE OF A FEW OTHER ITEMS,
AND I SAID,

"SHE HAS A GOOD FRIEND SARAH,
WHO WILL VISIT HER

"AND MAYBE INTERPRET FOR HER
FROM TIME AND TIME,

"MAKE SURE SHE
HAS HER NEWSPAPER,

AND WRITE LETTERS FOR HER."

YOU KNOW, SHE'S
WELL-TAKEN-CARE-OF.

MY MOM WAS QUIET AT THAT POINT,
AND I SAID, YOU KNOW,

"REMEMBER, I'M GOING BACK
TO WASHINGTON, DC,

BUT I WILL COME BACK AND SEE YOU
FROM TIME AND TIME"...

AND SHE SAID, "BERNARD,
YOU NEED TO GO HOME."

SAID, "ME?

I'M A PEST? AM I BOTHERING YOU?"

SHE SAYS, "COME GIVE ME A KISS."

WELL, I GAVE HER A LITTLE PECK.

I SAID, "BYE-BYE,"
AND I PROCEEDED TO LEAD,

AND I CAME OUT IN THE HALLWAY.

I SAID, "LET ME GO CHECK
ON HER ONE MORE TIME."

I LOOKED IN,
AND HER EYES WERE CLOSING,

BUT SHE KNEW I'D BE
CHECKING ON HER.

WE WERE PLAYING THIS GAME
WHICH SHE KNOWS ALL TOO WELL

HOW TO PLAY, SO I CHECKED ON HER
A COUPLE, TWO, 3 TIMES.

I KNEW AT THAT POINT,
SHE WANTED ME TO GO

AND LIVE MY LIFE.

I FLEW HOME,
AND ABOUT TWO WEEKS LATER,

SHE PASSED AWAY.

I WENT TO TAKE CARE OF HER.

I SAW HER BODY,

AND AT ONE POINT,
I TOLD JESSICA,

"CAN YOU LET ME BE ALONE
WITH MY MOM?"

AND SHE WAS SO QUIET
AND AT PEACE,

AND I READ PSALM 23--
"LORD, TAKE CARE OF HER."

AND SO I FINISHED THE PSALM,
AND IT'S MY MOM.

SHE'S ALWAYS BEEN THERE FOR ME.

I'M SO GRATEFUL TO HAVE
SUCH A BEAUTIFUL MOTHER.

I GAVE HER ONE LAST PECK,
AND THEN I LEFT.

ABOUT TWO WEEKS LATER,
I RECEIVED THE URN

WITH MY MOTHER'S ASHES
CONTAINED WITHIN.

I REMEMBER ASKING MY MOTHER
SOME TIME AGO--

I THINK IT WAS ABOUT 4 YEARS,
WHEN MY FATHER PASSED AWAY--

I SAID, "DO YOU WANT YOUR ASHES
SPREAD OVER THE OCEAN

"AS MY FATHER'S WISHES WERE?

DO YOU WANT TO JOIN YOUR HUSBAND
OUT OVER THE OCEAN?"

AND YOU KNOW
WHAT MY MOTHER SAID?

"NO. IT'S GONNA BE TOO COLD"...

SO TO ABIDE BY HER WISHES,
I WAS GONNA SPREAD HER ASHES

AT MY GRANDFATHER'S FARM
IN CONNECTICUT--

SHARON VALLEY, BEAUTIFUL VALLEY
IN THE CORNER OF CONNECTICUT.

WE USED TO SPEND
MANY A FOND SUMMER THERE,

SO IT WAS TIME TO ME TO COLLECT
THE ASHES AND SPREAD THEM.

I DROVE TO NEW YORK.

I PICKED UP MY GOOD FRIEND
MICHAEL, WHO'S IN THE AUDIENCE,

SO HE ACCOMPANIED ME,
AND WE DROVE QUITE A WAYS

UP TO SHARON, CONNECTICUT,
AND WE FOUND THE FARM,

AND WE LOOKED FOR A PLACE
TO SPREAD HER ASHES.

WE DROVE UP THIS OLD ROAD,

AND WE LOOKED UP THIS HILL,
AND THERE WAS A BIG TREE,

AND BELOW THE TREE
WAS THE VALLEY SPREAD BEFORE IT,

AND THERE WAS A LAKE
OFF IN THE DISTANCE,

AND IT WAS SUCH
A BEAUTIFUL SCENE.

IT WAS A VERY QUIET, BALMY DAY,
NO WIND TO SPEAK OF,

SO I GAVE THE URN TO MICHAEL,
AND I SAID,

"COULD YOU DO THIS FOR ME,
PLEASE?"

MICHAEL SAYS, "SURE,"
SO HE WALKED OVER

AND FOUND A SPOT
TO SPREAD THE ASHES.

HE KNELT DOWN,
TOOK THE COVER OFF THE URN,

TOOK OUT THE PLASTIC BAG

FULL OF WHITE ASHES,
AND ALL OF A SUDDEN,

A GUST OF WIND BLEW IN,
AND AS MICHAEL SPREAD THE ASHES,

THE ASHES SPREAD
ONTO THIS WHITE PLANE

INTO THE SKY, AND I LOOKED
AT IT, AND I WAS IN AWE.

MY MOTHER FLEW AGAIN.

THAT WOULD BE HER FINAL FLIGHT,

AND I BET SHE REALLY
ENJOYED THIS ONE.

BYE, MOM.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU.

I WANT TO CLOSE TONIGHT'S SHOW

WITH A POEM THAT
WAS WRITTEN FOR ME

BY A GOOD FRIEND OF MINE--
JOHN BASINGER.

THIS IS ENTITLED "I HAVE WINGS."

IT WAS WRITTEN FOR ME BY JOHN
BECAUSE HE LOVED MY SIGNING,

AND HE SAID IT WAS LIKE
I HAD WINGS ATTACHED TO ME,

SO IT WAS WRITTEN
SPECIALLY FOR ME,

BUT I'D LIKE TO THINK
THAT THIS POEM

WAS REALLY WRITTEN
FOR ALL OF US HERE THIS EVENING,

ALL OF US DEAF PEOPLE
IN THE AUDIENCE

WHO WOULD LIKE NOTHING BETTER
THAN TO HAVE A PLACE IN THE SUN

TO FLY FAR ABOVE THE EARTH,

TO FEEL GOOD ABOUT OURSELVES,

DEAF PEOPLE HAVING
OUR OWN LIVES,

OUR OWN LANGUAGE,
OUR OWN HERITAGE,

AND OUR OWN CULTURE.

HERE IT IS.



I HAVE WINGS.

"This project is supported by a Digitizing Hidden Collections grant from the Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR). The grant program is made possible by funding from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation."