On Curtain Duty at Ford's Theater

On Curtain Duty at Ford’s Theater

By Julie Iverson

Bobby loves to work and has three part-time jobs proving it. At Washington DC, District of Columbia, working hard, for an average citizen, a real person, is plentiful for someone such as Bobby who, was well-taught growing up. Responsibility takes some doing that is, with schedules and all. Commuting location to location, job site to job site can be done by city bus or his own bicycle. These devices are in full use, depending on the weather, one day or another for Bobby.

“No work is too menial for a man to do it” Bobby’s father said often, rest his soul.

Time for good thinking, provided during dependable transport, bike riding on the streets of DC, enable him the power of the positive, the thinking revered by some about doing so, thinking winning thoughts. Dish-washing through the dinner crowd at ‘Betsy’s Quiche & Pie’ when his shift ends just in time for Bobby to get over to Ford’s Theater, the opening curtain of the evening’s show, very important work, it is, raising that curtain. He learned to raise and lower the large show curtain during high school, public school. Many Maryland and other area schools have theater programs, very fortunately so. Presence of a theatrical curtain substantiates the programs for arts, drama and music such as from where Bobby graduated high school. Those memories are fond from the very foundation set for future employment at the modern-day Ford Theater, Bobby’s career.

Ford’s, the original theater, burned down at least one time and underwent remodeling more than once. The Congress of the United States of America allocated, they “allo-o-cated” with a formal vote to make the Ford’s right, and keep it right, the hallowed place of Mr. Lincoln. Bobby practices his self-talk silently, always, mindfully using it for mindful contemplation of the value of greatness that once traveled these very same streets, when ‘he do it,’ too. It would be hard not to be awestruck of it all. There are short tours, as well guided historical tours, walking, with docent or prerecorded devices, keeping history alive for the area.

At his second job, everybody knows Bertsy’s Pies, named for Betsy Ross, in a manner of speaking, being polite. “Betsy Ross not be from DC.”

The capital of America was the pride of Philadelphia, back in the day, our city of brotherly love. Everybody knows that she was a stitcher, not a baker, but that’s okay. Betsy Ross sewed a five-pointed star, lickity-split, for General Washington in the olden days when he needed a new flag. We can’t be be picky when we talk about our great folks. Somebody was bakin’ pie at the Betsy Ross house, had to be so. Everybody bakin’ there, the breads, pies, people from the Revolution comin’ and goin.’ We all like the pies and sometimes munch quiche, good food, good work and good doing, now good for me.”

The early morning gives rise to Bobby for the recycling pick-up crew, representing his third line of work.

“We have to recycle the cans and such. This is a must to maintain our beautiful city, keeping it clean from the trash with repurposing all that stuff. Recycling is very important work, and it is a got-to-do level on the list, the got-to-do-list.”

In Washington DC, more than paper gets repurposed during the process. The recycled paper, converted, may not be the most beautiful when the production redoes it, but the recycled paper is cheaper and just fine for many. Glass bottles, metal cans and plastics gets through the freecycle, salvage or reclaim. Aluminum, soda cans catch the most pay for turning, therefore, the discards are on the most wanted list for all types, homeless or hobbyist, most soda cans go to the special metals department. At the municipality, the police are the finest, fire department, the bravest, sanitation is the strongest because they pick up those containers if they have to. There is no pretty name for the recycling workers, not until someone thinks one up.

Of all three, the work at Ford’s Theater deems the highest pride in Bobby. Located in Washington DC on the tenth street between E and F street, with ease, the imagination can see how the terrain of once was, fourteen April 1865, the neighboring tavern, theater back door, basement trek leading stage right to stage left, down at the orchestra level. Theaters of the nineteenth century were small by today’s standards and of a traditional build.

“Ford Theater is little, not like Carnagie Hall or the Cosmonaut place in Russia. They get the big ballet, over there, for the Ruskies.”

Known is the watchman’s folly, Lincoln’s feeble guard who fell from grace on assassination night. The famous Lincoln box seat was special space for the President or other important guests. There were eight such special box seat compartments, originally. Ford Theater had been rebuilt, modernized in 1862, three years before John Wilkes Booth did his bidding, forcing it to crime scene. Reportedly, stairs, flooring and other complaints marked questionable safety of the building. The government seized it for more than the initial event, the official investigation. Ford managed one other performance before the government purchased working domain, using the space for offices. Before they were done with it, up to five hundred government employees held jobs at the Ford Theater location before the twentieth century.

Outside, the mind’s eye can envision a hoard of men, barreling across the street, carrying a man, seeking a bed for the mortally wounded President, our President Lincoln. This was just days following the Civil War end. All the detailed information is provided during the walking tour. There are commemorative plaques naming all the people and dates. The Ford Theater itself, the front brick façade is original. The door to the state box is true as are some of the windows. On display are pieces from original curtain swatches and wallpaper. Bobby appreciates the concern and careful consideration from the past, saving those artifacts, and all.

Yes, curtain call at The Ford Theater is a very important job, indeed. Thank you, Bobby.//