A London Recap: Part 2 of 10

KATHRYN

For the first couple of years I knew Kathryn I could not understand a word she said. It is not to say that she spoke like a donkey with no nose but more that my ear was missing that simple something necessary for the accentual translation.

During our M.A. course Kathryn and I would go on cake dates. Being that cake was the only word I could understand I agreed and just smiled and nodded my way through it.  We spent the rest of the year that way, Kathryn thinking I was exceptionally quiet and I thinking 'what is this girl saying?'

During my graduation trip to London in the summer of 2008 Kathryn and I spoke while at a friends party. I barley understood her but it was a lot better than the year before. We spoke about film and life and the idea of me possibly coming back to London. At the time she was working for a film production company and stated she would put in a good word for me. Next thing I know she did as promised and I was on the trail to my British Visa. Finding any possible way to make it happen, Kathryn on the London end filling in the gaps while I worked in Saint Louis meeting my requirements.

The months we spent getting me into the country were full of so many online conversations that I actually grew to know her, to know what she was saying and for her to actually know what I was thinking without ever listening to each others voices.

Seeing her again in person on New Years Eve 2008 I finally heard her though our conversation was brief and suddenly interrupted as she was constantly leaving the room to go throw up - none of us knowing how sick she actually was. I should point out this was a temporary sickness, the flu if I remember correctly, nothing to worry about.

As I'm sure you've already gathered the job fell through and I was left a little bemused.  Kathryn would soon find herself in a similar situation but it didn't matter. We had cake and no one was going to take that away from us.

We worked on a few side projects together and helped eachother get small jobs here and there when we could.  The road was hard, but then a life in film is never easy, no matter how rich your parents are, or how talented you may be. Over time we each grew in our respective ways and got better and better jobs and eventually finding ourselves living in better situations and actually being able to say 'yes' when a friend invited us out somewhere... when you're broke there is nothing worse than constantly being invited places you cannot afford or justify.

Born in Ireland Kathryn has lived in several different cities, different countries actually; a trait I find that many of my friends have. She has since gotten married to a lovely yong chap by the name of Daniel and they tour many countries together with their band I Am Not Lefthanded.

In a few weeks they are moving to San Francisco to develop a life in the US. I will miss Kathryn, our cake dates and silly stories, but I won't forget the memories we've built in the last five years: The initial silent meetings to the quest for a visa to the ups and downs of freelancing and the eventual finding of a decent job only to find it taken away again and having to essentially start over.

Good luck Kathryn and Daniel; for now we shall eat cake and when you are off, we shall continue to eat cake.