Del had invited me to Crosscurrents to see the work he was involved in after a conversation we had on the French Oulipian writing movement. He was surprised I knew of a 1960 underground European writing experiment but I did actually learn a few things in art school. The idea ranges from free form to using structures to write. Time shifts without warning, we discover characters more than we are told their characteristics. A short film using this style was seen by millions of Americans after Rod Serling saw it and bought it for THE TWILIGHT ZONE. It was called INCIDENT AT OWL CREEK BRIDGE http://www.moria.co.nz/fantasy/owlcreek.htm and many even saw the film in schools with no idea that the filmmakers were using a Oulipian structure. Del told me he was working on a pattern of three different scenes which would lead to a group work, then the three scenes would be more revealing of the people and lead to another group scene, then there would be an overlapping of the three scenes and sometimes an ending. Not written as the Oulipian movement was but live on stage.
"When I write about our times together", I said, "I'll write it in that form. No one will believe the stories anyway, although they are all true. You and I have lived the lives of a 100 men." Del laughed as we sat in the Stagecoach Restaurant on North and Wells and he ended his laugh with a cough. The Roachcoach Del called the joint, the food wasn't very good with over cooked eggs (if a restaurant can fuck up cooking eggs you don't want to eat there) and frozen hashed browns. It was however near Del's place and open all hours for those odd times when the high wore off and he got hungry. The area is known as Old Town and the hippies that lived there were being pushed out by young professionals willing to buy.
"Have you heard from Patti?", he asked me quietly.
Not in weeks. I presume she'll show up with a bag of coke, a limo and a stack of money but I wouldn't stay home waiting for her. Del laughed. A low dirty laugh.
So I agreed to bring a date to the show and headed home where the Rolaids was waiting.
Boom Boom and I sat at a table at Crosscurrents with my usual, a gin and tonic and she had a beer. There were about 70 people who had paid to be there at the bar watching the show, and I was impressed. Behind us were his students, about a dozen more. The piano started, Del went up to the stage to loud applause.
"Good evening and welcome. I'm Del Close and I'd like to introduce my friend, Michael Flores".
People applauded the way they do when they think maybe they should know you but don't. I gave a slight wave.
"No, Michael, come on up". So I got up and walked to the stage.
"Tell me about slack" Del started and I realized we were in a structure. For the next 20 minutes we did the purest improv I've ever done- I didn't know the rule of agreement, of protecting your partner, I wasn't even sure I knew the structure Del was using.
The waves of laughs coming from the crowd felt really good, as did the cheers and applause at the end.
I knew music, so I understood beats in comedy. I knew old Hollywood, so I knew about protecting your partner and making everyone look good.I bounded off the stage to head to the restrooms and was grabbed by Jim Belushi. "What team are you?" he asked as the others gathered around to hear my reply.
"I like the Cubs", not meaning to be a smart ass but I had no idea what he was talking about. A girl behind him asked me what classes I was taking and when I said none, the looks on their faces confused me. Some looked shocked, some bewildered a few just stared.
After the show I asked Del if he thought I should take a class. He laughed. "No Michael, you should teach one!" he said with a cough.
The gravity of what had happened was starting to hit me. "Let's do this again", I said.
Del beamed, "Anytime".