Time's Swift Flight

We all know about the speed of sound and light.

As we enter and go through school, at least one time or another the scientific formulas of each traveling rate are readily explained. What we are never aware of at an early age is how short our life on this planet really is. Each and every year going by seems to gather speed along the way. When we expectantly wait for something as a child, we all have trouble with how slowly the time passes. But a strange thing happens to all of us as we struggle with life’s path; what seems like just yesterday, turns out to be five, ten, or twenty years ago.

It was thirty-two years ago when an actress well at the end of her pregnancy, stood before me in a recording booth, preparing to audition for a voice over commercial. Today, that very same actress, Anne, once again stood before me at Kalmenson & Kalmenson preparing to audition for yet again another voice over commercial. This time, she wasn’t pregnant.

Seeing and directing an old friend is the blessing of our business. When I reminded Anne of the now famous pregnancy incident, she was a little astounded I recalled the exact circumstances. While I don’t recall the product she was reading for thirty-two years ago, I do remember some of the important particulars.

The job called for the actresses reading for the commercial to be available for work that next day. That night after her audition thirty-two years ago, Anne delivered her eldest son. The next morning, the advertising agency producer called in a booking for Anne to record. She had been selected for the role she had auditioned for the day before. When I explained to them she was unavailable because of the new baby they replied with an affirmative, “We’ll wait.”

Four days later the new Mom completed the gig.

My, how time does fly by.