Peter The Rock

Onstage

Those of you who know me, please pick your jaw up off the floor after I say this.

I actually performed onstage in an earlier lifetime.

It’s true. I’m serious. Please don’t laugh.

But that was years ago when purple nail polish wasn't really a thing.

YEARS, y'all.

Yep.

It seems like yesterday and foreverago all at the same time.

This is what I remember about my premier performance. 

It was prep week for Vacation Bible School. Just-turned teen girls who were to serve as VBS teachers trained at Harris Memorial, a school for deaconesses (the Protestant equivalent of a convent for nuns).

I remember the theme for that year, the story of Peter and John from the book of Acts. 

Learning the songs and the stories and the crafts was no biggie, but we also had to perform a skit at the end of the training period. I was assigned the prime role of Peter. (Aside: it was an all-girl cast, as you may have guessed.)

So be it.

Garbed in a one-piece tunic belted at the waist and a white cloth wound round my head as a turban, I additionally improvised with an eyeliner to simulate a moustache and a beard.

I guessed that Peter would have the kind of presence that turned heads when he said something. He would be broad-shouldered, with a calm and confident air that made him serene even in crisis.

Having thus internalized his character, I deemed myself psyched up for the role.

The curtain rose as the narrator began with the premise.

On the ninth hour which was the hour of prayer, Peter and John went up together into the temple.

Then he went on.

And a certain man lame from his mother's womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple; who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked alms.

That was my cue.

Waving my hands hurriedly as if trying to chase away an invisible fly, I began to recite Peter's lines with gusto, Silver and gold have I none.

I paused and forced confidence in my voice as I continued, But such as I have give I thee.

I was breathing heavily as if I had just sprinted a mile as I braced myself for the climactic part. I firmed my mouth into a straight line and delivered the finale as boomingly as I could in a voice that could have filled a cathedral. 

In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.

I took the beggar's right hand and lifted him up.

The hitherto 'lame man' must have felt so immense a feeling of gratitude for having been strengthened in his bones that he shouted, Praise God! Then he leaped up, stood, walked and ran falling into the arms of an astounded Head Deaconess seated upfront in the audience. 

The curtain went down at that dramatic and unexpected ending. Applause rang and we came out to take our bow.

Needless to say, the skit was a success. I heard folks asking, Who played Peter's part? He was so good-looking! 

Well, what do you know? 

I was on stage! I was in the here and now.