Used without Permission

I remember when we ran my show in London. I was blogging about the experience with stories involving my stage manager Julia, lighting tech Ruthie and sound man Nathan. London theatre had a different lexicon of terms used backstage and I would write what I heard.  This often involved quoting them.

One evening Julia said something funny and I asked, "Do you mind if I use that in my blog?"

She said, "Why not....you never asked when you quoted me before." Why I thought that my stage manager was unaware of my daily missives was total naivety on my part.

With that experience in mind, I know that my friend Paul Osborne occasionally reads this blog, and I did not get his permission to paraphrase one of his personal social media posts.  But here it is... I'll make it up to Paul later. My Pappy used to tell me "it's sometimes easier to apologize than it is to get permission." 

It seems a Texas cop pulled Paul over because one of the tail-lights on his car was not working. As the cop started to write up the ticket Paul said, "Do you know who I am...?"  The Cop stopped writing for a moment, looked at him and said, "Well, you're NOT Reese Witherspoon." They both chuckled, but the ticket was still issued. 

Another friend had a different cop experience in California.  At a corner there was a sign that said, "No left turn - except RTD busses."  My friend needed to turn left and did so anyway only to find a cop in waiting.  The cop pulled him over and asked if he had seen the sign. My friend Dick said, "Yes sir, and  just for a moment I forgot I was NOT driving an RTD bus."  The cop chucked a little and stopped the ticket writing process.  The cop said, "You are certainly in violation but I have to let you go."  The cop told Dick that once a month some of his cop friends get together at a bar and exchange "ticket" stories. The best story is rewarded with free drinks from the others. The only rule to the game was that the "perp" had to get a pass.  He said he was sure to win with this story so he let him go. I am thinking that Texas cops should have more drinking games on their off time. 

Okay so I didn't get permission from Dick Christie to tell his story either. I'm not sure how I can make it up to him but I will try to practice quid pro quo with Paul Osborne.

Paul has made a career out of designing magic tricks, big and small. He sells blueprints to those magicians who can build their own illusions. He is also a funny guy as you can see from his exchange with the Texas law.  He put together a book of blueprints for things that would confuse and confound even Rube Goldberg. The book is titled "The Mystery of the Sausage and other ridiculous Blueprints"and is on sale at Amazon.com or at "The mystery of the Sausage" website. Get the book and have a laugh or two.

You will note that Paul enlisted the help of one of his good friends to shill for the book by writing the foreword.  Still more reason to purchase the book.

As you were,

Jay