So Long, Farewell British Intern!

December 7th, 2010

Hey readers,

If I were a complete wimp, I would be weeping uncontrollably as I write this post. It’s Roland’s last entry before he returns to Great Britain! Everyone at Sideshow is going to miss our favorite British Intern oh-so-much! We had so many adventures together, most recently introducing Roland to his first ever American Thanksgiving…

Roland post-meal, listening intensely during a hard-core game of Apples to Apples.

And without further delay…

So Long, Farewell.

By Roland Reynolds

The tiniest plane ever.

“All things end, and some things end quicker than other things. A satsuma, for instance, won’t last as long as a grapefruit.”

I think some wise guy in the past or other once spoke the pithy phrase quoted above (or perhaps I just made it up; I’m not entirely sure) in a somewhat misguided effort to explain the cosmological inconsistencies that tend to mar the otherwise perfect order we would wish to ascribe to life and the universe (I think it was Tom Lehrer who once quoted his friend Hen3ry (the 3 is silent, you see) thus: “Life is like a sewer: what you get out of it depends on what you put into it.”). I don’t know exactly what I’m trying to say by all of this; perhaps I am trying vainly to avoid having to vocalise what must be said: my time here has, as it had to, come to an end.

It seems to me to have been a much shorter length of time that I have been here than it actually has, and the days have often lost themselves in the blur of excitement and hard-working that has characterised this particular internship at Sideshow. Between arriving in 90 degree weather in September, through working on the auditions for Heddatron and developing Strangerland, and eventually setting off into the snowy sunset (my plane’s at 16:40, almost an homage to the end of Pearl Harbor), I’ve seen and experienced firsthand one of the most exciting and vibrant metropolises in the world, met hundreds of beautiful, intelligent, creative and wonderful people, and eaten more pizzas and burgers than is advisable for a man of my slight build and delicate constitution. I even managed to find a World Market and located a packet of dark chocolate McVitie’s digestives that made me feel as though I’d been transported suddenly homeward. I have really grown accustomed to living here, and the time seems to have vanished.

But I recently saw a photo of myself taken in September, and I can’t believe how young I looked in it, how short my hair was, how smooth my cheeks and complexion. Since then I’ve not exactly grown old and haggard; my hair is longer, my pores have suffered a little from the abundance of greasy foods, but I think that the greater change has occurred behind the scenes – working with the gang at Sideshow has been a process that has taught me innumerable and invaluable lessons in creating art, making a living and continuing the struggle of life. I am convinced that this experience has brought me a wisdom and understanding of things that I was somehow lacking prior to arriving here. There seems to be no adequate way to express my gratitude for this opportunity.

And so, with much reluctance, it’s time, I guess, that I said goodbye to this great country; I very much hope that this fond farewell to the United States of America is the first of many.

THE END OF ROLAND…FOR NOW.

Until next week, folks. Stay warm and groovy.

Ms. Megan