Date: Fri, 22 Aug 2008 14:21:38 -0500 (CDT)
From: Charles Taylor <cecetaylor-AT-verizon.net>
To: puptcrit-AT-puptcrit.org
Subject: [Puptcrit] "Up story"


It is such a downer to think of puppets being stolen out of a van during 
a tour, or any time for that matter.
Here is an ?UP? story I wish to relate:

After the 1965 riots in Los Angeles, I was hired to tour my marionette 
show through South Central Los Angeles, at  four shows a day for one 
dollar and sixty nine cents an hour which included traveling, set up 
and workshop time.

I truthfully must admit that I was apprehensive because of all the 
negative news film I had witnessed on television.  it was a frightening 
time to think that was so much hate, distrust and meaness in our society 
from all sides.

I toured for seven years and discovered THE MOST responsive, generous 
and caring audience I ever had the pleasure to meet.  I would show up at 
a school and there would be over two hundred students waiting.  There 
would be at least a dozen  eleven or twelve year olds willing to help 
carry my paraphernalia into the auditorium and back after the show.  I 
mistakenly feared that something might be light fingered away.  It never 
happened.  I never lost so much as a button. I didn?t realize it at the 
time but those were my Halcyon days!

Another upside was that I received recognition from the Mayor of Los 
Angeles that people from South Central were calling in praising me for 
being a positive thing that was being done for the school children in 
South Central L.A..  My boss, Al Minturn was pleased to relate the story 
to me. He received a promotion.

It opened my eyes to how much we allow fear and mistrust to enter our 
thinking.  FDR, Franklin Delanor Roosevelt, was right, We have NOTHING 
to fear but fear itself.  Oh yes, we do have our ups and downs that 
aggravate and make life more complicated.  I?ve also learned there is 
truth in, ?What doesn?t destroy us, makes us stronger?!

My wife on the other hand says I?m a fool and was lucky as . . . .(You 
fill in the experlative!)

P.S.  I finally quit performing that tour because a less supportive boss 
replaced my orginal, Al Minturn.  The new guy, a Mr. Jim Young, never 
saw my performance but felt that since the show lasted only thirty 
minutes, I should receive one dollar and sixty nine cents per every two 
shows.  He would not agree to travel, set up time or workshop time as 
part of my salary.   Even in 1972 wages, that was too absurd!

I focused on teaching and used my puppetry as an avocation until now 
that I am retired. We also charge a far more generous fee for our 
performances.

For those that are interested, you can see our website at: 
tinkertaylorpuppets.info.