11) Next Season

In December 2021, and unexpected event triggered my grief to an all time low.

So low that I had even considered giving up comedy.

At this point I just craved some normalcy.

Luckily for me I was only a few weeks away from one of the things that makes me feel most normal.

Basketball season.

Coming from a family of coaches, I’ve spent most of my life in a gym. I’ve watched countless number of games but the ones most special to me were the ones watching my cousin play. I was able to witness her accomplish so much as a player, and now I looked forward to see all that she would do as a coach. She had been hired as head coach in our town the previous season, but due to COVID, spectators were not allowed at games.

She opened up the season with a win coaching against the most successful coach in the county, who also happened to be her own father. I was excited to see what was in store for this season and while sitting at that game I felt like the old pre-grief me.

But just three days later I found out that due to the increase of cases of Omicron only parents would be allowed at the games.

Once again I’d have to wait to see her coach.

I’d have to wait until next season.

As I wondered what else would shut down, I started to panic. I felt the walls caving in. I had made so much progress and I dreaded the thought of spending yet another winter in isolation.

I turned my focus back to comedy. Back to my future.

Standup brought me a great deal of joy and I decided it was time to take it to the next level. I wanted to start exploring other areas of comedy.  I had recently been informed that there was an Advanced Writer’s class offered that January. I double checked to make sure they were still running it and enrolled.

First class we were each given an article and had to write as many jokes as we could in a set amount of time. All the panic and fear I had felt had quickly dissipated. I was meant to be in this class.

The class emulated a writer’s room. We all sat around the table giving each other feedback and collaborating. The best part is we had homework assignments. I spent my Saturdays sitting in a cubby at the library. Week after week I had the same thought-this is what I'm supposed to be doing. Whether it was writing in my notebook or typing on my laptop I knew this was my true self. 

Luckily my classmates and I were overachievers and we started meeting other nights other than our assigned night for class.  

At one of those outings one of my classmates told us how he was an extra on SNL.

He turned to me and said, “I can give you my contact person. Send them your headshot.”

The old me would have never considered doing this.

But I am no longer the old me.

I’ve been through too much to be afraid of anything.

I knew it was a long shot but I had to take a chance and reach out.

Because the truth is I wasn’t the only one who was interested in John that summer of 2019.

SNL was too. 

They too recognized how talented and brilliant he is. They requested a writer's packet from him which eventually led to an audition.

To be on SNL was a lifelong dream of his and one that given the opportunity I would fulfill for him even in the smallest capacity.

I am still waiting to hear back from them.

In the meantime I received an email inviting me to a top notch Improv class.

It seemed intense. The class ran from 6-10 each Tuesday night and it was located an hour away. Plus gas prices were on the rise. Logistically it was a no brainer to say to no. But it was also being taught by a highly renowned instructor with both MadTV and Key & Peel on his resume.

I was torn. I had no idea what to do. I would have to leave right after school to minimize traffic and wouldn't get home until late. I also had zero experience with improv. But maybe this was what I was supposed to do next in life. Maybe this was my next chapter, my next season. 

There was only one person who I could turn to for advice. 

John.

I’d ask him for a sign.

It’s something I've done when I needed his guidance.

I’ve asked him for signs for questions ranging from should I get this belt to who should I vote for our town’s Township Committee to should I invest in more real estate or wait for the market to drop?

He has never let me down.

I knew if I heard or saw the word improv within the next few days I would register for the class. And if I didn’t hear from him I wouldn’t take the class. It was as simple as that. 

That weekend I went to Atlantic City with the girls to see Taylor Tomlinson.  I sat there the entire show wondering if she would mention improv.

She didn’t.

That entire weekend went by without any mention of improv. 

I went to work that Monday morning feeling slightly disappointed. To make matters worse, it was Valentine’s Day.  I opened my laptop and checked my email. I completely forgot that I had a Faculty Meeting after school.

I just wanted to get home to my grandma’s so I could spend Valentine’s Day the way it's supposed to be spent-by ordering takeout and watching True Crime.

I less than enthusiastically read the agenda for the meeting. Math and Science Departments would be working with data. The English Department would be in the Media Center. 

By the time I scrolled down to read what World Languages would be doing I had tears in my eyes. 

We would focus on exercises that help students with speaking by using…

IMPROV

And right there, on Valentine’s Day, John gave me the gift of my next season.