And I don't need anything more going to my head. It's fully inflated already.
But, I do declare, as I sit in the wings and hear Miss Maudie praise Atticus Finch, it's heartwarming to take her kind words personally, as if she's describing the guy who's pretending to be the gentleman she's describing.
Who wouldn't want to be considered thusly?
"If [Atticus Finch] is anything, he's civilized."
"There are some men in this world who were born to do our unpleasant jobs for us. Your father's one of them."
"We're so rarely called upon to be Christians, but when we are , we've got men like Atticus to go for us."
"We're paying your father the highest tribute we can pay a man. We trust him to do what's right."
I mean this is flattering stuff. Especially to be called upon as a Christian.
But it's not really about me. Or is it about me? And is it also about you?
Maybe We Should All Practice Hearing These Words
As If They Do Indeed Describe Each of Us.
This is why, as I wrote earlier, I wanted to play Atticus Finch.
In the hope that I might become more like him.
That I might — that we all might — live up to Miss Maudie's words.
This Is Your Invitation.
Don't give me that post-show crap — Atticus would say, "Don't give me any of that." — about how you missed the show because you didn't get an invitation.
The play opens and closes in less than three weeks. If you're coming, now's the time to buy tickets.
Details are at http://HarperLeeAVLT.com. Advance tickets (today) are strongly recommended and sincerely requested. (If any tickets are still available the day of each performance, they will be sold at the door at the price of "Pay What You Want.")