Acting by Ricky

All the world's a stage,
And all the men and women merely players,
They have their exits and entrances,
And one man in his time plays many parts,
His acts being seven ages. At first the infant,
Mewling and puking in the nurse's arms.


Did I mewl as an infant? Of course. All infants do; but I refused to puke “in the nurse's arms,” because I had class even as an infant. Because I had class, I only burped up on my parents.


Then, the whining schoolboy with his satchel
And shining morning face, creeping like snail
Unwillingly to school.


As a schoolboy I never carried a satchel, just a binder and a handful of books. Those were the days before backpacks became popular to carry school supplies. Naturally, I never, never whined about school; only about having to walk 5 miles to school and back in 3 feet of snow, uphill--both ways. Even then that was only to my children not other school mates and only for those times I missed the school bus.


And then the lover,
Sighing like furnace, with a woeful ballad
Made to his mistress' eyebrow.

Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo?
Down here you fool. The ladder broke.

(I'm just playing my part as the group's smart alec.)


I must admit I was hot with passion to and for my female better half and my coming out was quite woeful but I just couldn't put it into a ballad. Somehow singing, “I'll be coming out the closet when I come. I'll be coming out the closet when I come,” just didn't seem appropriate. Unfortunately, while my ladder still works, it just doesn't reach the balcony anymore.


Then a soldier,
Full of strange oaths, and bearded like the pard, 

Jealous in honour, sudden, and quick in quarrel,
Seeking the bubble reputation
Even in the cannon's mouth.


I hold that being an officer in the Air Force is better than being a soldier, at least comfort wise. In any case, we did take an oath and we couldn't have beards “like the pard.” (A “pard” is a literary noun meaning a leopard or panther.) There is much emphasis on honor in the military and in-fighting or back-stabbing among members who should be cooperating with each other is also common. Even when facing the “cannon's mouth” soldiers will defy logic and do the most selfless and heroic deeds but not to advance their reputations; that honor goes to the leaders who order men into foolish battles.


And then the justice 

In fair round belly, with good capon lin'd,
With eyes severe, and beard of formal cut,
Full of wise saws, and modern instances,
And so he plays his part.

I'm not sure my children would agree that I ever meted out justice. They would agree about the round belly but the “fair” part is questionable. My eyes are not severe (unless I'm angry) and once again I have no beard--this week. My wise saws are mostly interpreted to be wise cracks, but I do play my part.


The sixth age shifts
Into the lean and slipper'd pantaloon,
With spectacles on nose, and pouch on side,
His youthful hose well sav'd, a world too wide,
For his shrunk shank, and his big manly voice,
Turning again towards childish treble, pipes
And whistles in his sound.


I've definitely arrived in this age but still passing through. I wear slippers and also wear sleep-pants which in my opinion can pass for pantaloons here. Clearly I wear spectacles on my nose but my pouch is a paunch and is in front. My youthful hose I abandoned long ago when they began to smell up the house. Fortunately, I've not lost my big manly voice, yet and I'm not looking forward to it either.


Last scene of all, 

That ends this strange eventful history, 

Is second childishness and mere oblivion, 

Sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything.


I'm not sure I ever left my first childishness but when I get to the “last scene,” I suspect that I will not be in any condition to recognize it -- or any other actors still on stage with me.

© 29 Mar 2012

About the Author

I was born in June of 1948 in Los Angeles, living first in Lawndale and then in Redondo Beach. Just prior to turning 8 years old in 1956, I began living with my grandparents on their farm in Isanti County, Minnesota for two years during which time my parents divorced.
When united with my mother and stepfather two years later in 1958, I lived first at Emerald Bay and then at South Lake Tahoe, California, graduating from South Tahoe High School in 1966. After three tours of duty with the Air Force, I moved to Denver, Colorado where I lived with my wife and four children until her passing away from complications of breast cancer four days after the 9-11 terrorist attack.

I came out as a gay man in the summer of 2010. I find writing these memories to be therapeutic.

My story blog is TheTahoeBoy.Blogspot.com