If you're hoping to hear some really good dirt on the behind-the-scenes- shenanigans at Scrubs, you've come to the wrong place. There are no behind-the-scenes- shenanigans. What there is is an amazing group of people who extended themselves to my daughter today and were nothing but sweet, funny and gracious.
She got to go to the set where they film. She got to watch them shooting, she got to tour the sets, she got to meet the stars and creators of the show. She was asked back to be an extra. Zach Braff was utterly adorable with her. He hugged her, talked to her, took her to his office and gave her cool, one of a kind stuff. He let her play with his dog. He was so open and genuine and giving - they all were. If you could put how sweet they were in a bottle and give it to sick kids, they'd get better.
I was kind of amazed by how much time and preparation goes into the shooting of a scene. It takes an hour or so to set up a scene that takes five minutes to shoot, tops. No wonder those guys are there till two or three in the morning. I was impressed too by the lack of pretension - I expected it to be the way you see it on TV, egos and back-stabbing abounding, but nope. They all seemed to get along really well, actors and set decorators and craft services people hanging around talking between scenes.
So I'm sorry, world. There is no pit of toothy sharks behind Scrubs - just a bunch of really adorable, goofy, sweet people who were nice to my kid and thus good guys (and girls) forever.
At the same time, there was a bittersweet undercurrent to this day. This is the kind of thing they do for the Make-A-Wish kids. Some terminally ill child's last wish is to go to the set of their favorite TV show and meet the cast. Maybe do a walk-on. All the people involved, all the cast members know the child is dying and they are really sweet to them and the parents spend the day trying really hard not to cry because they know that, however wonderful this moment is, it is one of the last moments. Maybe the last one, the one the kid hung on for.
My daughter isn't dying, thank heaven. I am so grateful. Still, as grateful as I am, moments like this frighten me because they are too close to the Make-A-Wish thing. I don't want this to be her big moment, her light flaring just before it goes out.
I wonder also about her own hopes. Working behind the scenes in film or TV is what she had planned to do. Her older sister wants to be an actress but my middle girl wants to write the scripts and direct the shoots. She was on track for that when she got sick. How far from that dream has being sick pushed her? If she has an opportunity to work as an intern on this set (not out of the realm of possibility), should I let her do that instead of push her to finish high school? If she has a chance to start the life she was on track for when she got sick (and how I hate that phrase "when she got sick"), isn't it better for her to go for it than to force herself to finish high school right now, something she can always do in pieces later on?
There are so many unknowns, so many possibilities and all I want in the world is to see them happy, healthy and safe. You think if I were dying, I could go to the Make-A-Wish people and ask them to insure that my children would always be happy, healthy and safe? I'd die for that. I would.
I'm making themes, but I have NO good images for Thanksgiving. If you have something you want me to try to work with, send it along. Otherwise, what you all are going to end up with is lots of themes with sunflowers and amber leaves for fall. Actually, sunflowers and red and gold leaves sound really good . . .
