[player]How about I help you out then?
[Elderly Man]Sure, come with me.
I'm more interested in helping out with the stage performances. Since the elderly man is letting me help out, maybe he needs me to do something that doesn't require much professional experience.
Behind the auditorium
I follow the elderly man to the back of the auditorium. We chat as we walk, which is how I find out that he's the gaffer here, and my main task today is to help him control the followspot.
The followspots are set up in the center of the last row of the auditorium. Although I've watched several performances from here, it's my first time taking part in stage work, so I can't help but feel a little excited.
Gaffer
[Gaffer]...Did you get all that? The start button is this big white dot, and the dial on the right is used to change the color of the light. You won't need the other buttons for today's performance, so just don't touch them, and you'll be fine.
[Gaffer]After a while, Sara and the other performers will come on stage. When the lights on top of them fall on them, you'll also aim the followspot at them. It's okay if you miss them at first. You can just adjust the light slowly.
[player]Got it! I'll ask you if there's anything else I don't get.
[Gaffer]Okay, I'll go handle something else then. Just let me know if there's anything you need to tell me.
As a brisk melody starts playing, three spotlights point at the center of the stage in sequence, illuminating Sara's figure.
[Sara]...
Since the lead actors are on the stage, I set the followspot to illuminate her feet as she walks on the stairs. There's a period of time when she doesn't need to move at the beginning of this dance, which gives me time to make adjustments.
[player]This melody... I think Sara should be starting to move now, and the light should switch to blue...
[Gaffer]Oh? You seem to know what you're doing. Do you do this for a living?
[player]There's no such thing. It's just that I've watched this dance so many times that I have some impression of how Sara moves as she dances and when and what color the lights should be.
[Gaffer]Haha, so I've enlisted a hardcore fan. It looks like I can just sit back and leave this to you.
[player]Sure thing.
Although I'm familiar with the dance, the followspot is still a little hard to control. This could be because the machine is too old, isn't very flexible, and takes some force to move.
That and the need to focus on adjusting the movements and lighting makes my forehead sweat.
[player]But I feel so happy.
As Sara dances on the stage and I manipulate the spotlight to follow her figure, I feel like a wondrous interaction is going on between us.
[player]If I'm this light, can I say that I'm dancing with Sara right now?
When I think of this, I can't help humming a little tune happily along with the background music, and my hands start to move a little carelessly...
[player]Oh no...
When I come back to my senses, the light has deviated from its original path and is drawing an erratic path beside Sara. Fortunately, it doesn't seem too inconsistent with the big movements she's making at this time. I just pray that everyone in the audience is focusing on the dance.
[Gaffer]Young man...
[player]S-Sorry about that, I just...
[Gaffer]Can you do that again?
[player]Eh? D-Do what again?
[Gaffer]That thing with the lights. How did you get them to move like that? It's quite interesting.
[player]...Oh, that was a flash of inspiration. I forgot how I did that too.
[Gaffer]Oh, what a pity. Well, you can try again the next time you get some inspiration!
[player]O-Okay...
Although I'm very thankful for the gaffer's encouragement, I'm still terrified about almost making a major error just now, so I operate the lighting more cautiously after that.
[player]...
[Sara]Hmm?
Is it my imagination? I thought I just saw Sara look at me and wink in my direction.
...I'm probably overthinking things. Sara usually likes to interact with the audience, so I should stop imagining things and focus on my task.
After Sara's dance is Ryan's magic show, and the followspot isn't needed for this performance, so I take the chance to wipe away my sweat, rest, and chat with the gaffer to pass the time.
[Gaffer]The followspot effects you used prove that young people like you have more new ideas. Things would be easier for Sara if there are more fresh blood like you in the troupe.
[player]You flatter me. The ticket inspector told me that most members of the troupe are seniors. Why don't you recruit more young employees?
[Gaffer]There used to be some young people in the troupe, but... Forget it, let's not mention the bad things of the past. In short, it's tough enough for the troupe to keep us old fellows, let alone recruit new employees.
[player]Oh...
Although I'm curious about what happened in the past, the gloomy expression on the gaffer's face tells me it must be something bad, so it's probably better not to talk about it.
[Gaffer]...Actually, I don't have the right to moan about it. If the leader fires us old people who are holding her back, she'll have enough money to hire new people.
[Gaffer]Even if they don't manage to recruit anyone, with fewer mouths to feed in the troupe, they won't have to perform so frequently every week and can relax a little... But nobody knows where they can go if they leave the troupe, so this issue has been dragged out day after day...
[player]...Sir, for how long have you been a member of this troupe?
[Gaffer]I joined when I was still a lad. I don't remember exactly how long.
[player]It should be the same for the other elderly employees too, right? Thank you so much.
[Gaffer]What are you thanking me for? I should be thanking you for helping us out instead.
[player]Haha, of course I have to thank you guys. Soul wouldn't exist without you, which means I wouldn't be able to watch Sara shine on stage. Don't you think I should thank you as a fan?
[Gaffer]...Haha, you have a way with words, youngster.
[player]I'm not flattering you. Also, I'm sure that Sara doesn't see you guys as a liability or anything.
Although I don't have any actual proof, I just... Since I met her, I've never seen Sara complain about anything. She's always smiling and doing her own thing at all times...
I know Soul has all kinds of difficulties, and I can't help with some of them, but I'll do my best to help out when I can, just like today...
[Sara]I heard about everything that happened from Ciri. The ticket inspector is feeling much better now after an afternoon of rest.
[Sara]Thank you so much. I know, why don't you have dinner with us a little later? Just treat it as my thanks for helping out today.
[player]That sounds great. Now that you mention dinner, I do feel a bit hungry.
[player]Call me if something like this happens again. I'll come to help out when I'm free. It's inevitable that the elderly will feel unwell from time to time.
[Sara]...
[player]...W-Why are you suddenly so silent? Did I say something weird?
[Sara]No, but I've never met someone as weird as you who is so proactive about wanting to help out.
[player]There's nothing weird about it, and I have my own selfish motives too. As a fan, I want to see you dance gracefully on the stage more often. I don't mind trying a little harder if I get to see you dancing.
[Sara]...Hehe, thank you, and please help us again if we need your help suddenly.
[player]You don't need to say "please." That sounds so formal.
After that day, I occasionally come to help out at the Soul troupe like today...
