The Road to Stardom, Part I

What a strange world. One day, you're eating under-cooked onion rings at a Bob's Big Boy and the next, you're being "discovered" at a moderately-priced hotel conference room in a suburb of Detroit. But this story actually begins far from our luxurious penthouse quarters of the Red Roof Inn...back almost a week ago when Brad saw a news program about open casting calls for the new "Star Wars" movie. It was (almost like) an act of God. Our family's conversations are peppered with "Star Wars" quotes, Sydney owns an impressive collection of "Star Wars" themed t-shirts, Savannah once talked us into purchasing a $50 Darth Vader mask for Halloween, and Brad and Sydney spent several hours constructing me an R2D2 costume just this year! If there was a movie custom-made...fated, if you will...for the Mosiman family, "Star Wars" was it.

Sydney immediately began doing research and almost as immediately, was devastated as she learned that the cities hosting casting calls (Nashville, Chicago, Detroit) were well out-of-geographical-range...seemingly light years away. Add to that, this week-end coincided with the opening day of deer season, a sacred holiday religiously observed by Brad Mosiman consecutively for well over two decades. One hundred percent behind my secret plans to drive Sydney to Detroit, Brad listened with some concern and trepidation as I mapped out my route. "You will be driving through Canada, won't you?" he inquired. "Why," I asked, "Oh! Is it because a Great Lake lies between NY and Michigan?" "No," he sighed, realizing that he would be missing his favorite day of the entire year to drive me successfully to my destination, "It's because Canada lies between NY and Michigan."

And so began our impromptu road-trip. Sydney, somewhat shell-shocked when she learned this morning that we were heading to Detroit, immediately immersed herself into her character of "Rachel," a beautiful, rough-and-tumble, street-smart girl by singing Disney's "Bare Necessities" for the first hour of the ride. Brad, forgetting how easy we are to please, was disgusted by our excited appreciation for his generous side-trip at a McDonald's along the way. I was caught up in simultaneous feelings of worry and wonder when I discovered that a little ladybug had hitched a ride with us and I worried about this startling transition. This was a big move for her.

Anticipating long lines, Sydney and I packed lawn furniture and sleeping bags good to 40 below. ("40 degrees," Brad sighed, "Don't you EVER listen?"). We arrived at the location a full day early to scout it out, prepared to join the throngs of thousands and spend the night in the bitter cold to defend our place in line. We pulled into the nearly vacant parking lot while Brad, who never for one moment planned to sleep in a parking lot, smirked and pointed out perfect places to set up our lounge chaises. Sydney and I surveyed the lay-out of the hotel and banquet facilities before heading out to fuel up on snack supplies and to settle into our fine accommodations, here, at the Red Roof Inn. It has been a long and arduous journey, fraught with frustration and terror. Alone in a dark parking lot, Sydney and I struggled to secure the van to no avail, faced with the futility that we were too stupid to manage an automated locking system, unaware that Brad, intent on revenge from his having to miss the opening day of deer season because his wife suffers from spacial-deficiency-syndrome, was poised on the 2nd floor balcony, remotely unlocking the van and unhinging his family.  When Syd and I approached Room 217, we paused uncertainly before its darkened window. Is this the wrong room, we wondered? Did we not listen carefully enough to Brad (again)? We knocked hesitantly, peering into the window when a face suddenly loomed out of the darkness, causing us to scream. Brad opened the door, laughing, his self-therapy somewhat relieving the stress of his having to sit in a Bob's Big Boy booth rather than a deer stand.

Tomorrow: the audition!