An Invitation To Mass

Athol Fugard's Road To Mecca sings songs about the lonely struggle to maintain and create internal radiance in the face of darkness. I spent time with the play today because of an Arts & Visually Impaired Audiences audio description assignment. However, I'm not sure it was until after the show that I encountered radiance itself.

Her name was Noelle. I walked with her across Seattle Center through a crowd of people milling between the fountain and Key Arena waiting in line for tickets to the roller derby. She was going to a 5:30 Catholic Mass to listen to the songs and church bells. She'd asked me if I would like to attend Mass with her when we were still chatting in the lobby of the theatre together. I had politely declined at the time not recognizing as I should have the unspoken request for a traveling companion. She'd introduced me to her silent doll after that. A constant guardian. Much more consoling and trustworthy than the faerie voices that plucked and prodded one during travels about town--like that grizzled ticket scalper that had called to her as she passed reminding her of their recent walk home together during one of the icy eves of the past few months. Noelle had not recognized him... though she had smiled up at him and chatted back at him with a thundering persistent voice of one excedingly deft at touching the world via the echoing soundwaves that emitted & reflected back to her frail little body. I think he had been disappointed. I wondered if he had felt protective of her. A little like myself at that moment. "She's a real trooper" he had said smiling uncertainly down at her.

I had wondered at the time how comfortable I would feel constantly exposed to a vulnerability that meant being regularly walked home by strange uncertain voices. I had taken it upon myself to help if I could when I saw her outside of the theatre rocking from foot to foot with a consoling internal rhythm all her own. Listening. Waiting. The House Manager at the theatre said that she was a regular at the Center finding her way through an undefatigable patience and trust in the kindness of strangers. "It's a wonderful way to meet new people" she had said with that golden sunlight eminating from her voice. A voice and spirit bright enough to chase darkness away.

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A kindred spirit for you Miss Helen...