Batch

07-23-2013 -- I loved this dream! I am wandering around somewhere, no idea where, commenting to somebody about some obscure detail in the old Golden Horseshoe Revue at Disneyland, and somebody hears me, decides I am just perfect for something, grabs me, and begins pulling me off somewhere. Soon I find myself in Frontierland, being pushed backstage somewhere that has a sort of wardrobe. They are told to dress me in the traveling salesman costume, and they have no idea what that is. They can't get me in the right costume, because they don't even know what it is, but they put me in something western, which will have to do.

Next thing I know, I am standing outside the Golden Horseshoe with Dick Hardwick, and he tells me that I have to make the difficult decision which side I am going to enter the show, He tells me he always entered on the left, and as I am thinking back, I think to myself 'no you didn't. You always came in on the right.' [While awake I realize he could have meant stage left] oddly, though we were outside the entrance when he shoved me, I suddenly find myself stumbling from backstage onto the stage, down the steps, and out into the audience. I walk toward the back, then turn around and start heading up to the stage again. I remember I am supposed to fire off a shot or two to get some attention, and I glance down at the carpet bag that was just thrust in my hands, and pull out a six shooter and fire off one shot. Every eye in the place is on me, and I have an incredible case of stage fright.

Fulton is there on the stage, and he asks me who I am, and I screw everything up (wrong time) and say Pecos Bill! Fulton just runs with it, and starts in on a verse, and the band follows right along. Then he indicates it is my turn for a verse, and I blanch. Me? Sing? I can't sing anymore. I have no voice! But I open my mouth and start singing one of the verses, and my voice is smooth and strong. In fact, it is probably the best I have ever sounded. We sing a couple more verses, while Terri Robinson is muttering gloom and doom about this not being the proper order, and Fulton calming her and telling her he'll tell her when to sing her part, and she'll be fine. (Behavior that more properly belonged to Betty than Terri from what I've read.)

Soon Fulton sings one of his songs, then glances at me. I have no idea of anything to sing, so he gestures at Terri, and she sings her number. Then he glances at me again, and I know I have to sing something. I glance at the piano player and say something facetious, and he starts to play Beautiful Dreamer, but I don't know the words to sing it. I tell him I don't know what songs he knows, so maybe I should just follow him, and he says "Well, that would go like this:" and starts playing Follow Me Boys (a song from an old Disney picture with Fred MacMurray in the lead role). I launch into the chorus, belting it out perfectly. The audience applauds, the curtain goes down, the show is over, and everybody is congratulating me. Everybody but me has changed out of costume, and the piano player is amazed I knew Follow Me Boys, and asks how I knew it. I tell him, appropriately enough, I saw it at scout camp (Cadets, but same difference.) [The film has MacMurray starting a scout troop to keep some of the local kids out of trouble.]

I run into various employees back stage, who are wondering what is with the costume, including several entertainers I know, and I am rather proud to tell them that I am the newest Traveling Salesman sub for the Golden Horseshoe Revue. I know I run into Graham and a couple of others from the Adventurers Club, and Jim, the Walt Disney World Refreshment Corner pianist ... and is that Kirk Wall doing Billy Hill over there? I make it over to Terri before she leaves, and manage to apologize, and she forgives me, and says I'll do better next time. Next time?

That's when it hits ... I just performed in the Golden Horseshoe Revue! Which means the Golden Horseshoe Revue is back! Which means, when I am not performing in it, I can watch it! ... I remember something I read, recently, and acknowledge even if it is only for a limited time. And the words register a second time. Next time ... I have to learn the proper routines and timing! I ask for help, and I think it is Dana Daniels who starts out by teaching me how do do the Niagara Falls bit. He then moves on to showing me a card trick that involves turning a three of spades into a two of spades, and a couple of other card tricks. I realize I am going to have to practice all this, and wonder if I can take all the stuff home for one night, to get some practice in. I guess I am going to have to go back to the Revue and ask the stage manager about that.

As I am walking back to the Horseshoe, I find myself wondering if I will run into my old supervisor who always objects to my being back stage ... if he does this time, there is nothing he can do about it! I am now a Disney performer! I get back to the Horseshoe, and the stage manager and all his stage hands are just getting ready to leave, but when he sees me there, and I mention needing to learn so I can do the next show correctly, rather than flying by the seat of my pants, he tells the others to leave without him, he's got some work to do. The next thing I know, he has me in his arms, teaching me some of the minor dance steps I need to do in the show. Meanwhile ... I HAVE A ROLE IN THE GHR!!!