In a few hours, I’m heading to Bennington Vt. with Maria and Red, I’m going to do a short monologue, “Red And His Story,” as my project for the acting class I  just completed with the actor Christine Decker at the Oldcastle Theater in Bennington, Vt.

I love everything I am seeing and feeling at the Oldcastle, there is so much energy and creativity coming out of the place, and they just announced their are buying the theater building, a great vote of confidence for their future. I have agreed to do a photo show for the Oldcastle sometime this year, and if Christine teaches another class, I will apply again.

This one was good for me. I learned a lot about who I am and who I am not, it buoyed my own creativity. You can learn from any teacher, even a bad one, and Christine is a great one.

I’m going to talk about Red’s life, and also his illness tonight. Red and I saw the vet, Dr. Suzanne Fariello today, he had his regular acupuncture treatment. Red had a good week, he was more active and seem in less pain.

His heart is still weak, his cataracts are spreading and I know his spine could fracture at any time. Other than keep him quiet as much as possible, there is nothing much we can do. Red seems at peace to me, this week, he is the King of Radical Acceptance, he has, through our work together, taught me much about mortality and acceptance.

I took him to the Mansion this afternoon. I told the residents Maria and I can’t do Bingo tonight, and I told them about his illness the other day. No one mentioned it today, death and sickness are not things the residents dwell on, they see enough of it all the time.

I’m looking forward to the talk tonight, and not just because of Red. I see it as a triumph of creativity, an affirmation of the chance to learn and grow. I was supposed to read a poem by T.S. Eliot. Instead, I’m telling the story of Red. There is surely some meaning there. Hopefully, I’ll return with some photo.

Thanks for your love of Red, it always lifts me up, and I’m sure he senses it as well.