My newest gig is doing props and “specialty items” for a play up at Barnard College.  The specialty items consist of a series of crow puppets and a box of entrails.  When the director called me, she said, “So, do you have any ideas on how we can make a box of entrails? ¹

“Yeah.” I continued to fold laundry as we chatted,because this was pretty simple stuff.  “A box of unlubricated condoms, KY jelly, food coloring, saran wrap and a little stage blood.”

There was a moment of silence on the other end of the phone and then she said, “Oh. I thought this would be a longer conversation.”  Another beat of silence. “I take it you’ve done entrails?”

“Oh, yeah.” I tucked the last pair of socks into the drawer.  “Had to do a disemboweling for a show.  Fun stuff.”

The crows now.  That’s going  to be  a much longer conversation.