Salad Days

No comment.

Work was nice yesterday.

We have all reached a place where mockery flows like wine - and the song we sing in our drunken stupor is cruelty to each other - but we know in our hearts that every jab and every comment really means

"I love you."

Kyle and I followed Bill and Stewart in Bill's van. We had to unload flats at the studio. Bill wanted us to use his van so that we wouldn't have to use our own gas. Once we were at the studio - he wanted us to go to the sculptor's workshop to pick up his foam cutter - phallically entitled the "hot rod."

On the way there - we ran out of gas.

I don't know how things work in your car - but my gas gage has an "E" and when I get under it - I can still drive a while - and then I get gas. In Bill's van - you don't even get to the "E." You run out when the gage is still well above the "E."

So go figure.

I haven't run out of gas since Film School.

I was producing my very first film by a young lady named Vickie Bronaugh - who went on to direct numerous episodes of the Power Rangers and adopt two beautiful girls from China.

There was a young man helping out on the shoot named Tommy Hohman - yes - the Tommy that grew up to be an Art Director - and who hired me a couple weeks ago to work on his Nascar commercial.

Tommy and I were driving the "production vehicle" which was a Chevy Nova. It was always a contest to not be the guy who takes out the car when it needs gas. So everyone would run errands in it - and try to bring it back as close to empty as possible without having to fill it up.

We made the mistake of thinking we would make it back.

It was 95 degrees - 100% humidity - and rush hour.

We ran out on the exit ramp of the highway - and cruised to a stop under the bridge in a work zone with no shoulder. We had to jump out and push with the sound of a thousand horns honking at us till we could get the car up the road a half mile and out of traffic.

We proceeded to walk a mile to the nearest gas station and buy a can. Then - as I was holding the can and Tommy dispensing the gas - he was wondering how fast gas came out of the pump.

He pulled back a little - and the can slipped - and we were like the guys in Zoolander - dancing around as we both got drenched in gas.

Interesting day.

Needless to say - yesterday - we go gas and went back to work.

But I did smile as I walked down the street carrying another can of gas - thinking about the "salad days."