My first day working at Triple Espresso was December 23rd, 1998, working hourly in the Box Office. I had a migraine. One of the first people I met was Joe Gautier, who would stop at the B.O. before going on; when introduced, instead of shaking my hand he shook me. I kind of stood there taking it humorlessly, while he shouted: “I think there’s something wrong with the new girl — anyone know anything about her?” People who knew me before might disagree, but… I think I’m a different person now than I was back then when, at the tender age of 27, I was planning on working there for around six months before going off to Grad School. I was just then out of my job at the LJ Playhouse, and I’d been kind of spit-out by life in general and by New York in particular — back in CA only a few months, and living in an apartment with very little furniture — and I wound-up having a rather spectacular nervous-breakdown early in my employment there, and throughout 1999. My life was crazy and chaotic, and TE became the constant (not that it didn’t have it’s moments of chaos) as I got back on my feet.

It’s too difficult to describe the ways I’m different, but… I’d never before even been in a management position… I knew nothing about computers… I’d never even been to a funeral, for crissakes; my first one was Sandy’s, and my second, Jennifer Woodward’s (both were friends from TE). I went from being the “Baby” of the family to being the Big Sister to a host of kids: Robbie was seventeen when he started; Zicciah had just turned nineteen; Romany not yet twenty-one; Jen almost twenty-four. We’ve had so many milestones it makes my head spin to think about them. Jen’s thirty now and newly married; Romany’s been back and forth to Europe and NYC (and back and forth again); Zicciah’s nearly finished with his degree in Poli Sci from UCSD, with a staggeringly good GPA… People have graduated, fallen in love, fallen out of love, moved away, moved back… I’ve spent nine birthdays and ten New Year’s there, as well as two heart-breaking election cycles (that’s not even counting the CA recall). It was extremely touching to me that so many people came back to town for the closing night — it really surprised me that this was a big deal to everyone. You’d think I would have broken down sobbing at some point during this closing, but it hasn’t happened. Apart from a very (weirdly, very) difficult time actually removing all of the keys to the theatre from my key chain, I’ve been sort of numb. I haven’t been without a job — literally — since the Fall of 1996; all of them have overlapped since then. I haven’t had more than a week off at a time since January of 1998, and in the past five years, not more than 6 days at a time… This is all really foreign to me, but I need a break… I just might be fine with being finished here.

There is a quite extensive collection of pictures from the closing night — courtesy of Desha — on the “Gallery” page here, and if you’d like high-resolution copies of those and/or others, Email me for a link to my Photobucket account. There was a bumper-crop of quotes from the closing weekend, so they’re on the Overheard page with dates, just to set them apart from the rest (there are others since then, but I’m gonna hold on to them for a while — there won’t be quite as many from now on, without all that time spent together at the theatre). But before I sign-off, I’d just like to list some random memories from the top of my head… Feel free to add your own in the comments below.

• JT showing Richard around the theatre right after he was hired and, while walking through the office, gesturing to Michelle and Desha (who were each at one of the desks) saying: “This is Michelle and Desha — they don’t work here, but it’s important you know them.” Likewise, Rob Elk’s astonishment that Michelle not only didn’t work there, but that she lived in LA!
• Coralita showing us Berto, who had gotten himself stuck behind one of the doors to the house (which had gotten stuck on the doorstop) while trying to hide and then jump out to scare her… And my having to suggest that he be let out, since everyone was too busy standing around laughing at him to do so.
• The bizarre brotherhood of Richard, Justin and Kris in the booth… Justin coming out during shadow-puppets to talk, followed shortly thereafter by Kris, who didn’t “Like being in there alone in the dark…” Richard rarely being seen without a plate of food — even when walking around.
• Getting Chris Hart (numerous times) to do “Thing” across my desk.
• JT walking around in overalls, doing an impression of Scout: “Jem’s up in a tree, and he says he won’t come down until Atticus agrees to play football with the Methodists.” And, realizing that she was my soul-sister, when she recognized my obscure “Ghostbusters” quote while hanging the cast signs on the dressing rooms: “You don’t think the sign’s too subtle Marty…?”
• Duane and, in his words: “Nine years of foreplay.”
• Matt periodically pushing his chair back and silently crawling underneath his desk — a sure sign that he’d just received some kind of stressful Email.
• Bill Arnold being given one of JT’s sock monkeys (two of which are featured in the aforementioned pictures), and spending the rest of the evening holding it like a baby; bouncing it on his knee, burping it on his shoulder…
• Coming into the Box Office one morning to a strangely lopsided file cabinet (the old wooden one which none of you probably remember) and a note from Natalie: “Gayle, something has gone horribly, horribly wrong with the file cabinet.” The notes I’d get from Quinn, which would begin: “My Dearest Gayle…” and continue with a list of things he needed from Home Depot, etc; signed “Faithfully…” The stickie notes I’d get from Matt in my mailbox, attached to some document: “Gayle, see me — re: this.”
• When in town, Mike Donley would take requests during his warm-up… And he’d always do “Easy” for me. :)
• Being hosted (and comped, naturally) by George’s on Fifth in order to sample the dinner package we were selling, and getting permission to bring “Significant Others,” so that we could bring the crew; Justin was my boyfriend, Kris was Crissy’s, and Richard was Zicciah’s. Z spent the evening pulling out Richard’s chair, and treating him as he would a date. FYI, this is the reason why Rich and Z call each other “Boyfriend.”
• The horrors of Jazz Festivals, Street Scenes, and any other block parties… Which gave way over the years to the trials that were Baseball games… And that one year where the Superbowl (between the Packers and the Raiders) was in SD, and the crazy near-riot scene downtown that Friday night, where a car was set on fire on Market…
• Coming in to work to Jen announcing: “I’ve picked out my wedding band… I’ve decided on a dress…” Etc… Jen — literally — holding on to me at Sandy’s funeral… Waiting in line with her for HP Book 7 at Midnight, and her gasp and “Look!” when they wheeled the books in…
• Jennifer Woodward and all her animals (Python, Boa Constrictor, Ferret, Millipede, etc.) and her tendency to feed them with little thought to being able to feed herself… Natalie’s artwork, and her “font” throughout the TE offices until the very end (I kept her Alphabet from the Box Office files)… Romany’s shows… Kevin’s plays… Tom’s photographs…

There’s too much to mention, and I’m sure I’m neglecting great portions of History… Love you all.