Sanctum Sanctorum - Overrun!

Sanctum Sanctorum - Overrun!

2. An inviolably private place: The clubhouse was their sanctum sanctorum.

So last night my Sanctum Sanctorum was overrun. And I was allright with it all, indeed, I had invited them in. But it felt like a passage - wasnt I the only one who had seen it - labored on it for a couple years.. took a sledge hammer to a wall when it needed expanding, cursed when its roof wouldnt stop leaking? Wasnt I the one who had a bed out there, sleeping in it, so I could rise before the dawn and test my latest drillings quickly. Hadnt I spent countless silent summer afternoons on off days tweaking, soundtracking, photographing .. dreaming .. it didnt seem real. Two weeks ago a small group had come to be the first and that still felt private, as did my small family's visit. I could give small groups a look through my keyhole .. but last night was different .

They came in waves .. the first group precisely at six .. 8 of them, not too bad but one had a father who had lectured in his high school planetarium .. they were asking to see constellations .. wheres the lady in the chair one small child asked, startling me .. yet one husband exclaimed as he exited .. 'Im VERY impressed, you dont get this level of detail at a public planetarium' ... we did a standup runthru of my history theater, this I was more unsure of .. but they seemed interested in the pyramids and castle and even the titanic .. they laughed at the mummy in the big pyramid .. this was encouraging .. they left happy

But then the waves started. The second group arrived one van at a time .. home schoolers with their parents ... I had to put them in the barn .. first there were 6 .. then 4 more .. then 8 more .. the room filled up ... wait, theres more coming they said .. finally I had a crowd of over 30 big ones and little ones buzzing about me .. would they fit? They fit .. somehow.. they spilled out onto the floor, the kids did .. they were polite, asked good questions .. my sanctum sanctorum suddenly a church with a hushed multitude behind me.. it wasnt perfect - I bumbled with my constellation flashlights .. I spoke as much about building it as using it .. the history of it .. HPA .. the whole picture .. they drank it all in ..

Then came my own moment of truth .. they piled back into the Star Theater to see the pyramid show.. and here I was .. the stars I knew I could do, but a stage show - ??? - a sinking ship ... a castle with a comet .. a ghost in the machine .... I did it though ..and they laughed.. they gasped on cue when the mummy emerged .. they made 'jack' jokes when the titanic music played - this wasnt perfect either - I got out of sync with my music and had to stall - I just admitted it and laughed, told them this was SHOW ONE for this place and they seemed happy to be part of developing it .. there were no expectations .. just happy people there in my sanctum sanctorum ..

We went out and it was clear and saw the real constellations .. they were interested in everything .. a small boy uttered the quote of the night .. all of about 7, he looked up at me and uttered ... now I know what I want to study in college....

I hope he does. But even if he doesnt, I told them that Halleys comet would be back in exactly 50 years, 2161, and they might see it. And if they did, I asked them to remember this night in their distant childhood, and maybe a little comet dust would come up out of their memories.

There may be many reasons I built this sanctum sanctorum. but this was surely the best.