David Trimble is an old buddy, an actor whose work I admire and an all around great guy. He phoned a few days ago. I hadn’t heard from him in some time. I assumed he was calling so we could get together at his place and do some laundry. He has a washing machine with a steam cycle. I have a bit of a laundry fetish — I even iron, using spray starch and the whole 9 yards. So we have a loose plan for me to bring some shirts over some evening and drink a few beers together while we wash the shirts on the steam cycle.
But it turns out he wasn’t calling about laundry at all. It turns out — totally unknown to me — that David has spent the last four years of his life putting together a film, “There by Grace,” which he has written and acts in (along with Léda Davies, Dave Trimble, Kira Bradley, Dustin MacDougall and Tamera Warden). There is a special showing of it this evening (Wednesday, August 3) at The Uptown Theatre around 7 o’clock. After party at the Auburn.
Last night Dave and I texted a bit about the fear one feels when sharing a new work with the world. It is a scary proposition, one that I’ve never gotten used to. I told him it will be hell, but that the world will keep on turning. I’m not sure how much I calmed his nerves. Oh well, at this point, there’s no way through it but to go through it.
It’s a big moment, not one any of us should take lightly. This is the work of a talented artist, representing four years of his life. We should all try to make the effort to see the work, support the artist, and of course, drink beer at the Auburn after.
I guess the laundry will have to make till all the smoke clears . . .
eugene stickland 
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