My day in London

Monday I stayed in Hamilton. A finger weaving student from London, Gloria, came to Hamilton for another lesson. We explored Hamilton in the afternoon, and then agreed to do the same in London on Tuesday. Gloria and I talked about taking in a play at Stratford. She phoned me bright and early on Tuesday morning, encouraged me to buy the tickets on line, to go to the Archaeology Museum, and then meet her for lunch.
I ordered tickets to The Tempest with Christopher Plummer, for 2PM, and set out for London, Ontario. I found the Archaeology Museum right where my google map said it should be. Getting there just before lunch, I did not have much time to speak with the giftshop manager before they were inundated with a school group. Yes, the London, Ontario Archaeology Museum is interested in selling copies of Fingerweaving Untangled.

Carol at the Archaeology Museum

I phoned Gloria to let her know I was on my way to her place for lunch. She suggested that I also speak to folks at the N’Amerind Center, as they should be interested in the how-to of fingerweaving. We met up there, and yes, indeed the London, Ontario, N’Amerind Friendship Center teaches all manner of native handicraft, and yes, they are interested in my book.
Gloria had brought along sandwiches. She recommended I leave my car and ride with her to the Stratford theatre. I hesitated to leave my rental vehicle in such a small parking lot. The daycare would be needing the spots for parents fetching their kids. She agreed. We planned that I’d follow her to the outskirts of town, a shopping centre where I could leave my vehicle. A few blocks from the N’Amerind Centre the car ahead of me turned into a parking garage. I thought, “What a good idea. This is a nice, secure place to leave my vehicle.” Imagine my horror when the driver of the vehicle ahead of me emerged … NOT GLORIA! Oh No! I’ve been following the wrong car! I exited the parking garage and tried to find my way back to the N’Amerind Centre. Trusting that Gloria was ahead of me I had not paid attention to where I was going. Then my cellphone rang. It was Gloria. Whew!
We met up again, drove together, me following the RIGHT car this time, all the way to a shopping mall. I got into Gloria’s car and away we went to Stratford, Ontario, and the Shakespeare Festival. We arrived at the Festival Theatre with 6 minutes to spare. Lucky I had pre-ordered the tickets on-line. I went to the wicket to redeem the tickets. The young lady at the window was struggling with her computer, said she’d been having troubles with some of the keys. Nevertheless, my purchase number worked, and she printed out my tickets. Four minutes to showtime we presented our tickets to the usher. “I’m sorry ma’am, these tickets are for Kiss Me Kate on the 26th,” said the usher.
“Oh No!” I said. “This cannot be!”
Back to the wicket went I. There had to be some mistake! I was quite certain I had clicked on the button for The Tempest with Christopher Plummer for today!
If indeed I had made an error, there must be a way to exchange!
Presenting the original credit card on which the tickets had been ordered, the problem was solved, two tickets for this afternoon’s show were printed, and we entered the theatre with one minute to spare.
The director came out on stage to talk with us. Apparently this is still technical dress rehearsal. They are still ‘tweaking’ the show, our comments are invited.
Then the show began. Spectacular! Ariel diving down from the ceiling, swimming to the bottom of the sea to retrieve something, and then back up to the surface. Then there are the mariners, fighting the elements on board a ship in a mighty thunderstorm.
Suddenly it all stopped, the lights came on, and we were informed there had been a glitch, the trap door was supposed to have been opened. Please be patient. Wait a minute and the play will resume.
Gloria said that she had intended to get us hearing devices. It was hard to understand the words of the actors. She went out quickly, figuring she’d have time to rent the devices and re-enter before the ‘glitch’ was fixed.
Apparently not. Gloria did not return to the seat beside me until a few scenes later. She had missed the first part of the performance … BUT … Christopher Plummer had come walking past. He had to go through the lobby to get from stage right to the upper balcony, and walked right past her!
The performance was spectacular. Those devices for the hearing impaired work great! (maybe I am hearing impaired?)
Afterwards I said I wanted to take a photo of the two of us in front of the theatre for my blog.

The Stratford Festival Theatre

Gloria said we could go over to the stage door, and see Christopher Plummer as he left the theatre.
I ran to the parking lot for my camera, hindered by a huge delivery van that was backing in to the theatre complex. Returning with my camera, I noted that the van had backed up to the stage door where Gloria was waiting, and was now leaving. “Christopher Plummer is in that van,” I said. Gloria replied that the Beatles would do such a thing, but not Christopher Plummer. Others had joined us, so we waited another few minutes, and indeed The Man, Christopher Plummer himself, emerged from the stage door. I took a photo of him speaking briefly with Gloria, and then she took a picture of me, and the little crowd that had gathered, around Christopher Plummer.
What a day!

Christopher Plummer surrounded by fans in Stratford, Ontario

Back in London, Gloria introduced me to her sister, Dolly. They showed me the sash that had been presented to their father at Fort William many years ago.
So, I had a great time with a girlfriend, met her sister, sold books, saw a lovely sash, and had my photo taken with Christopher Plummer!
Sometimes The Universe just opens up and blesses us. What a day!