Same Time, Next Year

Beth and I used to love

Going at it on the sets

After everybody would leave

After rehearsal

Beth would offer to lock up

For the stage manager

And we’d…

Haha

They have cameras now

So that wouldn’t fly

But back then

It was okay

We had a good thing going on

Never fought

Except when I’d tell her

She needed to get back onstage more often

Once she was Artistic Director

She thought it looked bad

To go around casting herself in shows

The only time she did it

Was my last show at the theater

And that’s only because

I wouldn’t do it

Unless she did it with me

It was Same Time, Next Year

And we had a blast doing it

I didn’t know it was going to be my last show

But halfway through the production

I got it into my head

That I belonged in L.A.

And when I told Beth to come with me

She just looked at me like I was the biggest moron

To ever step in front of her

And I guess I was

You don’t leave a woman like Beth

And you sure as hell don’t offer

To let her tag along with you

While you bump around

Looking for your purpose in life

Beth had her purpose

I should have stuck with her

And supported her

While all those religious harpies

Were coming down on her

For doing racy productions

But…

I was selfish, you know?

I was an actor

I was looking out for me

And only me

I convinced myself I wasn’t in love with her

That it was just sex

That I didn’t think that kid of hers

Was the funniest little person I ever met in my life

That I didn’t have it good

Because, you know us artists

If we have it good

It means we’re doing something wrong

And we need to fuck it all up

And try to make it better

Theater logic—it’s something, isn’t it?

After the last show, I took off

Beth didn’t even say good-bye to me

I don’t think she was being spiteful

I just think she was already onto the next thing

And there was always a next thing

The harpies were threatening to shut the theater down

If it kept going the way it was going

Beth wasn’t scared

She loved a good fight

But I should have stayed and fought with her

That would have been the right thing to do, you know?

I told myself I’d go back eventually

But it just, you know…

It just ended up being one more thing

I convinced myself wasn’t a lie