Just Got Lucky

Just Got Lucky                                         3861

Monday, March 13, 2006-1:10 A.M.

Closing up the week at Chaplin's in Detroit, Michigan.  After posting my last journal entry regarding Bill Hargis' decision to ask me not to sell merchandise after the show, while allowing the headliner to continue selling his t-shirts, I received quite a few phone calls and e-mails of support from comics and friends, all expressing sympathy at the raw deal I'd been served.  To all of you, I thank you.

The weekend finished up on a high note, despite the downer that Friday night delivered.  I stopped taking phone calls around 2:30 in the afternoon and went out to have some lunch, walk around, and just keep myself distracted.  I got back to the room in time to have a little nap, shave 'n' shower, and get over to the club early.

First show was jammed; Chaplin's is a boat of a room, and they were full up.  Kevin Naughton showed up just a little bit before showtime, and mentioned to me that he spoke to Billy and told him he was short of merchandise, that he only had five shirts left, and that whether he sold out or not, he wanted to ask Billy to let me sell my CD's and DVD's after the second show.  Billy said yes, which means he pretty much stuck to his guns that his only problem was that he thought no more than one comic should be selling, and it wasn't anything personal towards me.

The show went great, Kevin sold out, and we headed towards the second show.  The second show was really full, not jammed, but I had another very strong show, and sold my stuff after the show.  I still don't think it was a logical decision to cut me off from selling late show Friday and early show Saturday, I could have made some money that would have helped me towards solving some of my problems.  It's water under the bridge at this point, and the bridge is probably going to take me to another club.  If not, I'll go back and work Chaplin's, if I need the money badly enough that I have to swallow my pride and understand the rules of the game.

I drove home overnight, hitting the road at 1:30 A.M., and pulled into my driveway at 6:30 A.M.  When I pulled up to the customs booth to enter Canada (the shortcut to Upstate New York when you're in Michigan), the customs agent actually asked me if I wasn't too tired to drive.  I'd never been asked that before!  It was actually kind of nice.  The woman looked like a young Penny Marshall, without the unfortunate nose.  I was loaded up with caffeine, peppermint gum and a nice cheese muffin, and felt pretty good about my chances of making it home without dozing off at the wheel.

Today, we did a little family get-together for Harmony's birthday, and it was a low-key affair, consisting primarily of watching her run around while we enjoyed ice cream and cake and then let her make confetti out of the wrapping paper on her gifts.  I spent most of the day playing with Harmony, reading to her, and just generally being thankful that I have a child, when for years I thought there was no way I'd ever be a parent, or possess the patience to raise a child.

Tomorrow, it's back to work on the pressing issues before me, car repairs, Federal income tax, straightening out my home office, and soliciting work for myself for the late weeks of June and early weeks of July.  I'm going to try to work close to home, because my mother is scheduled to visit from Florida, and it wouldn't make any sense not to be around to enjoy her company.  Also, it's not very hospitable to leave home when you know you have guests coming...it's generally considered to be rude.

Between my good friends at Comedy Zone and my new friends at the Ken Muller agency, I've drawn enough extra work for the spring that I may actually be able to take some of those weeks off.  A summer vacation!  Haven't had one of those for years!

It might be fun.

I hope things go your way, gentle readers, and that you have a great week.

Ralph Tetta

Rochester, NY