Scrap 004: Main Character Energy

I'm sitting on a kerb in San Francisco, on one of those incredibly steep streets. Weird, since I've only been to San Francisco once, back in 2009. Anyway, here I am. Alone, not really doing anything, just kind of minding my own business. It feels strange. But, you know, what doesn't these days?

I look up and a man is waving at me from across the road. He’s dressed in a brown suit, standing in front of a brown car, waving frantically in my direction. It’s Gene Wilder. 80s Gene Wilder at that: big mop of curly hair, urgent movements, funny without needing to try.

I feel anxious, which isn’t entirely unjustified, since Willy Wonka himself is waving right at me. Shit. I'm about to meet one of my heroes, I think? I breathe in, wave back. He kind of winces. His wave becomes a hand signal that says, "No-no-no, behind you!"

I turn round and Kelly LeBrock is standing there in a red dress, reading some papers. Her hair is also very big, very curly, very 80s. I stand up to get her attention, pointing back over to Gene when I manage to. They exchange big waves and bigger smiles. Kelly runs across the road, they hug, and get into the car. I wake up.

I should've probably realised it was a dream while I was in it. But that's how dreams work, isn't it? Your house is never actually your house, even though it totally is at the same time. This dream was inside the 1984 film The Woman in Red. It wasn't a specific scene, I was just in that world with those characters, Teddy and Charlotte. I was an extra in the story of their illicit, and often hilarious, affair.

I've been thinking about that dream ever since, specifically about being an extra in the story. It reminded me that we're always extras in other people's stories. Sure, maybe we're sometimes bumped up to the supporting cast. Our characters have a name, rather than "man sitting on kerb". But other people’s stories are always theirs, not ours.

I've been writing more and more fiction lately, and I think it's that process that's caused these thoughts to take hold, maybe even caused this particular dream. I spend a lot of my time thinking about perspective, about which character should tell a particular story.

In the dream I felt like an extra in Teddy and Charlotte’s story, it was their movie after all. But, it was my dream, my perspective, they were actually extras in my story. Even when more "main character" events are happening around us, we are still always the main character in our own story.

I'm an extra in your story right now, as you read this. I’m also the main character in my own story, right now, as I write it.

To be honest, I started writing about that dream as a way to avoid my own story. I have some work to do and I feel a little blocked. Sometimes stepping out of one story and into another is the best thing to do in that situation. Sometimes being an extra in another person's story is the best role for you, at that moment.

I feel like my role, with this letter, is to remind you that you are the main character in your story. Today, tomorrow, and always. You will be the main character, no matter what. You’re the writer, director, costume department, hair and make-up, catering … you’re even the sole viewer. The whole story is about you.

I have more to say about this, but I better get back to my own story. This book sadly won't write itself. If you've never seen The Woman in Red, I recommend it, and if you're a fan of Gene Wilder, stay tuned. I have at least two more Gene themed SCRAPS to write. I'll also happily talk about his films all day long, if you'd like recommendations.

For now, well, I hope you enjoyed yourselves. Excuse me for not showing you out. Straight up the stairs. You'll find the way. I'm terribly busy. Whole day wasted. Goodbye to you both. Goodbye.