In another post, I wondered if I got into National Theatre School to meet Richard Pochinko.

Let me amend that.

Richard Pochinko’s ideas were the main thing I was supposed to LEARN at NTS.

They’ve percolated in my brain for years. And I regret not looking him up in Toronto and training more with him before he died.

But it’s not the main reason I got into NTS.

The main reason I got into NTS was to meet Deb Dagenais.

And I didn’t even meet her at the school.

I met her because I got into the school.

Let me explain.

Years ago, while I was still at the University of Toronto, I came home for a visit. My timing coincided with a show my friend Jimmy was in. The women were double cast. Which meant that two women shared the same part and they performed on alternate nights.

Jimmy urged me to see the show on the night that this actress, Deb Dagenais was going to be performing. Jimmy told me that Deb was a strong actress.

I went on an alternate night instead.

Oh well.

Flash forward a couple of years and I graduated from U of T. I was back in Montreal and hoping to get into NTS.

A friend asked me to take part in a student play at McGill. It was for a religion class.

The play was… not great. I rewrote my lines to make them more believable.

I vowed that I would never do another student written play again.

Then I had my NTS audition. And my call back.

And then I found out that I got into NTS.

A couple of days later, I got a phone call from Rob.

Rob had auditioned for NTS, as well.

So, I assumed he was calling about that. Before he could say anything, I told him that we would have a great time at NTS together.

There was a pause. And then he explained that he didn’t get in.

Ouch. I felt terrible.

I put my foot in my mouth on that one.

Rob then asked if I wanted to be in a play. A student written play.

Now, if he had asked me BEFORE I my mistake, I would have said NO.

There is no doubt in my mind that I would have said no.

An emphatic “NO!”

But.

I felt so bad in the moment that I effusively agreed to do the play.

And Deb Dagenais, who I had heard about over the years but never met, was in the play, too.

Deb and I became friends.

We became more than friends.

And here we are.

I often think that where I am today. My whole life for the past 36 years is because of a phone call.

And the fact that I gave a different answer than I would normally have given. Because I felt awkward.

It’s almost like it was meant to be…