Letters From Hollywood

At sixteen, I was given an extraordinary opportunity.

Dave Buffington offered his assistance as a last minute chaperone replacement for Creation 2000. A week long christian music festival. 

Had he not come forth in the literal eleventh-and-a-half hour, neither I, nor any of my half-dozen friends would have been able to embark on an unknown-at-the-time, life-changing journey. 

It was a tough position. He was the only “actual” adult on that trip. Managing several teenagers -- especially those not-your-own -- cannot be easy. His solution was different than any other adult figure I had known to date: he treated each of us... like adults. 

We made our own decisions. We made our own plans. We were in charge. We were responsible for both the successes and failures of our trip.

I want to talk about one of those failures. 

Two unnamed accomplices and I decided it would be hilarious to embark on a water-balloon slingshot escapade. Armed with a three-man-slingshot we began launching H2o bombs from atop the church vans to both unsuspecting and undeserving victims below. 

Cut the scene of Dave using his pocket knife to slice through our rubber-bands of decree... right in front of us.

Right. In. Front. Of. Us. 

Depending on what you buy into, I am either incredibly wild, or have one hell of an imagination. You decide.

I realize that my recent article may seem irresponsible, immature and generally lacking in good judgement. True, true, and true. 

Maybe... I’ve never grown up. Or maybe ... everyday, in front of our eyes, water-balloons take flight. They may not hit your tent, but it doesn’t mean there isn’t splash damage. 

For several hours, we all hated Dave. How dare he try to silence us. Yes, hell yes, there was resentment! 

In the middle of a concert, Dave sought each and everyone of us out. He firmly grabbed me by the arm, dragged me out of the crowd, looked me in the eye, and said the words, “I’m sorry.”

Was he sorry for cutting the bands? No. 

Dave was wrong for using his pocket knife. Just like each of us is wrong for ignoring things that happen right in front of us everyday. Just because you put your hands over your eyes, ears, or mouth, doesn’t mean it didn’t happen. And it certainly doesn’t mean it won’t continue to happen.

I will not attempt to justify my actions. In the end, you’ll believe what you want to believe. 

Should we cast rocks alongside our own glass houses? We are quick to notice specks in others eye, but not logs in our own. 

I do apologize if I’ve offended any of my readers. I am deeply sorry for that. It wasn’t my intent to upset anyone. I assure you, I wasn’t trying to hurt anyone, rebel, or otherwise project a bad influence. 

“The difference between you and everyone else, is that you’re willing to put it all out there for the rest of the world to see... and judge.”

But I did want to tell the truth. This is real life. Real. Life.

By all means, judge me.

Let’s not forget, at the end of the night, I took a cab home... instead of driving my car down the railroad tracks. 

No individuals were harmed during the filming of Episode 62. 

Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do. 

Kemer