Do Over

If I were given the chance to change something in the past, it would be to go back to the fifth or sixth grade and take a REAL part in the play other than the crew. In fifth I was to be the Master of Ceremonies for our play Beauty and the Beast Jr. There was a spot open for the milkman because the kid who played the prince had a big ego and refused. But when my family suggested me to play it I declined said offer, I don’t know why but I did.

 Then the day of the play comes. I have my hair parted and combed, and am wearing my big sparkly coat. With microphone in hand, and the lights slowly illuminating, I walk up onstage and start my lines, “Welcome to TES’s production of Beauty and The Beast Jr...” When finished I walked back to where I had come from, behind the curtains, walked down to the storage area, out of the curtained area and into the crowd, for another two to two and a half hours. I was fine at first, but then quickly realized my mistake of choosing this role.

 Unfortunately it was too late. The characters were already picked, the choreography memorized, the lines burned into their heads like cheese in a 4500º cardboard oven. Even if I wanted to —which I did— I couldn’t go back. That is what I would do if I had a do-over.