Always Hope: Night Court Of Life Lessons Chapter Five

 

There Is Always Hope

When pondering this entry on the lessons found in Night Court, it became strange to me that I would write about such while sharing a photo of someone I greatly admired, always wished to share how much he meant to me as a youngster, and never got that opportunity, something I don't know if I will ever feel that recovered.  However, as I then scanned through the photos of Night Court castmembers searching for photos of Harry that would give that resounding warmth of hope (and when does he not, just look at those loving blue eyes with the youthful twinkle), my eyes kept falling upon not just him but the other castmembers who we have recently lost, namely Markie Post and Charles Robinson.  Thus, I began to feel that that feeling of hope was not an overall theme of the stories of Night Court, but is something that I have found pertinent throughout my own life. 

Within the context of Night Court, there are many instances where the characters struggle to maintain a sense of hope amidst the nightly rigors of a work environment that may seem bleak and without at times.  Throughout each episode, the characters find relief in their circumstances by the camradie of their colleagues, whose encouragement shows the true power of  'laughter is indeed the best medicine' and by staying true to your core the solution will reveal itself.  

However, sometimes the situations seem to dire, the answers seem unreachable and amongst the shadowy mist in a place of shadowy vision, and in those moments where the character finds himself feeling the most alone, dejected, confused, lost.  Such as, Bull's unceasing desire to be a parent yet cannot be fulfilled, Harry's feeling dejected after a child is shot as if all he has ever done doesn't matter, Dan's slow, mental breakdown after losing job opportunities and pursued wealth which leaves him feeling unable to move, yet beneath it all each character slowly emerges from their cocoon of darkness through the patient support of their faithful friends.  These loving faithful prove that despite difficulties inwardly they truly never give up the flame of hope, a torch which can help re-ignite another's who has gone out in despair.  This is such the case in season three, episode two, "The Hostage", where a man claiming to be from Saturn holds the court at gunpoint until he is able to return to his home planet, as the show reaches his conclusion, the man is safely taken into custody of a psychiatric hospital, he turns to Harry with the sad news of the doom of Earth by the abuses of its people yet Harry remarks that 'no matter how dark things seem to get, he can't find a way to give up on the hope of a better tomorrow' (paraphrase).  It's a poignant moment that the other characters and audience take in, only to be broken by the insane laughter from the Saturn man. 

Harry remarks that he 'no matter how dark things seem to get, 

he can't find a way to give up on the hope of a better tomorrow' (paraphrase). 

As a child growing up in circumstances not altogether positive, hearing this promise of a better future infused itself within me, without my truly knowing that it had.  As the years have passed, that clear message shared to me through the TV screen in my parents basement on a TV station not clearly visible, has remained a firm sticking point despite the dark recesses of my mind dragging me downwards.  No matter how far I fell, I always always found my way out and upwards.  

The beauty of it all is that this TV show that brought such relief in my formidable years has seemingly returned to me in a time of such intense healing and trauma work.  It's as if in the journey of my life, the ups and downs, has brought me right back to my core, the place where true healing is done and the power of hope discovered.  While I indulge in watching old reruns now, I feel the little girl inside of me releasing in the warmth of being safe, cherished, and free to be truly herself.  It is not something that is often truly admitted openly but what I have discovered is that those favorite TV shows, films, or bands are the sources of our greatest strength, healing, and in that discovery the true reality that hope never dies.   As the feeling of the ache of heartbreak engulfs me as these beloved actors breathe their last and head onwards to the great courtroom in the sky (making God laugh, no doubt), I am swept over by a nearness like none felt when they walked this earth, no longer is there any separation, the understanding that their most powerful role was as spirit guide, as in life through a TV screen, so, too, in death, helping to lift up, encourage, showing that life is to be taken less seriously, and the answers we seek will always be found when we let go, we find hope.

Behind your eyes
Are endless blue skies
You travel places i want to come, too
Each breath that you breathe
Is a brush stroke that leads me to you

So sleep
Fall into nights indigo hue
Believe me, its true
Theres nothing that I would not do
For my dream is sweet dreams for you

It seems far away
But there once was a day
It was grey in a world without you
To this heart like a dove from above
The miracle of your love found me

Sweet Dreams

 

Romana Honors Her Rani

The Shape Of You

There's a hole in my heart and I'll carry it wherever I go

Like a treasure that travels with me down every road

Having studied theatre in college due to my anxiety I never quite attained that dream, until I was cast in my first play in 2012, ten years after undergraduate graduation; "Working: The Musical".  It was through that amazing experience that I finally found my home, my calling assured, and, most importantly, in this entry, where I met my good friend, Catherine.  I cannot recall what our first conversation was, only that there was a time when she wasn't in my life, then there was a time when she was.  

When she met me, I was only a year into an abusive marriage and through the next few unfolding years, her steady presence, non-judgmental love, and delicious humor would brighten my life and give me the strength to 'kick the bastard to the curb'.  She was one of the first people I turned to and told that I had removed him from my life as well I was one of the first that she confided in about her first diagnosis with the big C.  

Like me, she was long-suffering in her approach to others, offering the benefit of the doubt according the nature of humanity.  She had her fair share of discomforts with certain types and shared them with me, asking for my thoughts on such with no sense of judgment and truly honoring my opinions.  She shared with me tales of her love affairs and woes, and I, in turn. 

In the times when I did not believe in my ability or my self worth, which was, in fact, the bulk of the entirety of our friendship, she never wavered in her belief in me, to achieve, heal, and thrive.  That belief and undying love moved me from strength upon strength and remains undying in this moment, although the situation of our connection has changed.  In the truest sense of love, I do not know where I would be if it weren't for Catherine.

She lost her battle with stage 4 cancer on April 23, 2021.  We all celebrated 60 years of her, relishing in her glory before us, on her birthday of February 24.  

What can I say, Catherine's loyalty and dedication was something I had come to rely on and only in the void of its absence due I realize the true import of it.  Throughout this last month, I have been pondering my time connected to Catherine, coming up with off-color jokes at her expense, finding myself wanting to apologize, then realizing, almost hearing, her deep, hearty laughter.  Because that was her, full of laughter, mirth, the warmth of love, but also tenderness, commitment, loyalty, and dedication never failing.

Never once did she complain during her years of suffering her illness, perhaps she did privately or with her family, but seemd to take all of life in stride with the gentle graceful acceptance of her good humor and wit.

In 2016, when I started into the world of film producing, she joined forces alongside me as the time lady, The Rani, a villian against my Romana and The Doctor, played by Nick Walker.  Once again, the dedication and thrill of performing was true to Catherine at every turn, in every film shoot or promotional photo call, with true humility and an authentic honesty.  She would also portray the ill-fated, Lady MacDuff, and would drive through Burger King after filming with her neck stab wound make-up in place, insisting to the employees that indeed she was "really in need of protein, look!"

Knowing Catherine off screen, the gentle-hearted, quick witted, honest, soulful woman was direct contrast to the evil, conniving Time Lady, but she did so divinely, effortlessly slipping into character when needed, then back to her joyous self.  On set, we laughed a lot, I gave her the freedom to adapt the script to help fulfill her character to the fullest.  She had more than her fair share of one-liners that are still deliciously quoted until this day, the best being, "We ain't got no God Damn live stock, Russ", from which was written, "We don't have any livestock, Russ!"  She put her original twist upon it giving it more life.  

A joke around set was that the spin-off sitcom series was that my character, Romana, and Susan (played by Q Gabumpa) would be the friends living in a New York apartment and The Rani would be the nosy next door neighbor that we loved to hate but never hated to love.  The three male time lords, The Doctor, The Master (played by Roy Rains), and The Lackey (of our creation, played by Russell Mitchell) would be the guys we put up with for good sport. 

I do not know the origin of the choosing of the title, The Rani, perhaps the original played Rani (Kate O'Mara) and the writer that created her story know such, but I do know the meaning of the Rani, "Queen".  To describe The Rani, driven and determined to have power and glory, defines that of a type of royalty, however, I believe Catherine held similar traits, although more altruistic.  She was driven and determined, but in the sense of fierce loyalty and dedication to those she loved and that which she loved most to do.  Once more, she was tender, creative, giving of herself, easy to be with, a good listener and advice giver, the true embodiment of positive royalty.  Like Lady Macduff who was more deserving of queendom than Lady Macbeth, Catherine was and is deserving of loving praises. 

Thus, forever after, Catherine will remain the Queen of Cafe-Girl Productions.

Reel of Catherine

Behind your eyes Are endless blue skies You travel places i want to come, too Each breath that you breathe Is a brush stroke that leads me to you So sleep Fall into nights indigo hue Believe me, its true There's nothing that I would not do For my dream is sweet dreams for you It seems far away But there once was a day It was grey in a world without you To this heart like a dove from above The miracle of your love found me

Sweet Dreams