Everything Ends (Part One)

Last thursday, I took a ride out to Mottley's Comedy Club at Fanueil Hall in Boston. I'd been there just once before. It was a couple of months ago, and I had one of the worst sets I've ever had.

Although, the last time had nearly pushed me over the edge, I was more than happy to return to Mottley's for more abuse. I'm funny that way.

It helps that Mottley's is located in the basement of the Trinity bar. It looks like a speakeasy. I like that.

I was on my own that night. M.B. had a PTO meeting that she couldn't get out of (which meant that she didn't wanna see me humiliate myself a second time). I understood. So, I didn't push her about it.

Lorelei (my backup) had crapped-out on me at the last minute, with some excuse about a family emergency.

In other words, it was a long ride up. And, if I boomed, again, it was going to be an even longer ride home.

I got to the club late, minutes before I was about to go on. I'd taken a wrong turn and had wound-up heading to Revere before I'd gotten my bearings.

The place was busy.

Bethany and Erin were on stage. They both looked beautiful under the lights. Judging by the laughs they were getting they'ed put a lie to that old line about beautiful women not being funny. They were good....and they knew it.

I was out of breath. I'd ran from the parking garage, down the street, to get there and was trying to relax. It wasn't helping. I was unprepared....and, obviously, out-classed.

I did have supporters in the crowd. Ethan St. Pierre from TransFM was there, along with Dana Zucker. These two people I had never met were nice enough to come out on this cold winter night to see me perform -if I made a bad impression with them, I was sunk professionally and personally.

Then I heard my introduction.