11:15 PM - SUNDAY

On the beltway, cell phone rings:

“Hi, Vig?! It’s Tina!” the high pitch of an excited 11 year old girl squealing in my ear. I laugh delightedly at her call. I understood her, even though I couldn’t figure out what she was saying.

“I just wanted to find out if we won [after I left],” I did hear.

“Well, Judy won for best lead actress in a musical,” I said, and more.

“Oh, and what about . . . ?” the balance sounding like graphic art: question and exclamation marks, in excited colors, that would depict the image of a delighted friend, if it was being wildly painted on canvas and not being broadcast to a cell phone.

“No, I’m afraid Kiss of the Spiderwoman took Best Director, as well as Best Actor in a Musical, and Beauty and the Beast took best production.”

“Oh well,” happily my young star chirped, “You should have won best director, and our show was definitely the best musical no matter what they say. There’s always next time, but still; Ruthless! was the best!”