Omnium Gatherum #82: What Do You Write About When The World Is Running Down And You’re Trying To Make The Best Of What’s Still Around?
Scene: An old abandoned theater, roughly the size of the Orpheum in downtown Los Angeles, California. A stereotypical middle aged Black nerd stands on the stage, with a small script in his shaking hands. [Taps microphone while staring out at an empty auditorium.] Howdy, folks, and welcome once again to… [Looks up at a very, very dusty banner hanging over the stage.] … the Omnium Gatherum. [Checks name tag on red shirt, laughs at the irony.] I’m your host Vince Moore. What’s happening? [Pauses to allow for laughter.] Seriously, folks, and I will stop with the obvious and oblique stand up comedy and other performance references here, it’s interesting to give this column a starting up like an old car sitting in the driveway gathering dust and rust. It’s interesting and frightening and somewhat relaxing to put thoughts to keyboard once again, thoughts that are meant to go public that is. I don’t know if I’ll do more than one of these things. My personal life has taken center stage (there I