Newsletter – February 14, 2025
My daughter had the pleasure of working as a background actor on the set of “Only Murders in the Building,” a Hulu series starring Steve Martin, Selena Gomez, and Martin Short. She played one of the makeup artists getting Steve Martin’s character ready for a scene in his TV series, with Jane Lynch as his body double. These two stars treated my daughter as a fellow professional and creative artist, which you think would be natural, but it’s not as common as you’d expect. She lovingly described to us how each of them were kind, funny, and appreciative of the people around them.
I already loved the series, now it’s earned a top spot on my worth-watching list.
My turn to appreciate someone came this past weekend when my junior high students gave two performances of the play we’ve been rehearsing for five weeks. I could go on and on like a proud parent about their accomplishments and growth as actors but I want to take a moment here to appreciate one person who wasn’t given any applause or a credit in the program. Greg, the custodian.
Greg is a soft-spoken man with kind eyes and a desire to be of service. He arrived just as a parent and I were liberating a table from the school cafeteria to use as a ticket and concession counter. He didn’t ask questions, just hefted that table and carried it all the way down the hall to set it in front of the library where our play would be performed.
After that he unlocked the doors, delivered a package to the mail room that I had found in front of the door, and made sure he knew what to expect for the weekend. On Sunday he had the storage closet unlocked so we could return the dividers we borrowed from the art department, and he returned the ticket table to its spot in the cafeteria. Greg stayed until the students and I had returned all the costumes and props to the theatre storage room, and all the parents were leaving with their children.
Just as we had begun, Greg and I were the last two in the building and I thanked him one more time with a handshake, telling him how much I appreciated his help. He smiled and nodded, locking the doors behind me before he started to vacuum.
I remembered an email from the Superintendent of Schools about “Appreciation, Recognition, and Thanks” and I rescued it from my trash folder. I plan to fill out the form and use some of the same words I wrote above. I hope it gives Greg a bit of an uplift. I know it will for me.
Happy Valentine’s Day!
TTFN
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My middle grade novel, The Most Amazing Museum of Los Angeles, is available through The BookBaby Bookshop at https://store.bookbaby.com/book/the-most-amazing-museum-of-los-angeles
Eric Margerum 