Poem: February 9, 1988

February 9, 1988 (revised version)

I went forward
Into a slightly charted land
Planting my flag in a suburb
Occasionally wrapped in smog
>
Some people took advantage of me
Others were amused by me
A handful befriended me
As I met Los Angeles
In all its guises and poses
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Drove to Culver City Target
For a cheap answering machine
Almost got lost in Venice
But I knew I’d find my way eventually
>
Swore to the City of Glendale
That I wasn’t a Communist
Got a three-day-a-week library job
Performed repetitive tasks
Co-workers held a body-length mirror
For me to view every inch
Of my social maladjustment
>
Took a walk down Hollywood Boulevard
And discovered Larry Edmunds Bookstore
Where I bought trade papers
And decided to be a movie background actor
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Which eventually opened a door to
Volunteering for the American Film Institute
Where I learned even more about
How movies get made
And the different types of people who make them
Plus whether it’s worth submitting
When filmmakers court danger
And drag their crews along
>
Thirty years gone
No more circular agony
Over opportunities missed
Amid fears of disappointing others
In professional and personal ways
>
I did find my way eventually
Then True Love came and never left
And I believe I’m better off
For embracing risk instead of
Preparing for Civil Service
To throw me a safe lifeline