Superhero/ Mild mannered mop boy
This is a story of a young man that was in a serious car accident with many internal problems along with a severe brain damage. I was in a coma for one and a half months. I could do nothing upon awaking. 32 years later, I learned to walk and talk. I also graduated from the University of Texas with a BA in Psychology. I worked for the University of Texas for 17 years and retired because of brain injury complications. I retired and became an artist and stage performer. In June of 2004 I went with Actual Lives, a handicapped stage performance troupe and performed at the Very Special Artist, VSA, International Performing Arts festival in Washington D.C. We rocked the world at H Street Theatre. The next day I resumed my mild mannered mop boy. In July 2004, I went with Imagine Art to New Orleans, LA. for an art gallery show. I sold three of my paintings the first three hours the gallery opened. The show ran all month. We had a great time on Bourbon St. eating the food, Camping out was fun. We went to a graveyard above ground because New Orleans is six feet underwater. We returned to Austin the next day and I resumed the milk mannered mop boy. November 2004, Actual Lives did a show for the University of Texas for disabled month for about 300 students, professors and staff. The show was above average. The next day I returned to being the mild mannered mop boy. On February 9th, my birthday, the mild mannered mop boy does a skit with Actual Lives for the International Inclusion Workshop at the Renaissance Hotel. I was cooking on all cylinders. Here is a healthy 54 year old, brain damaged man and I was dancing to strip tease music wearing black and white pajama pants and trying on different shirts. We, the actors, got 800 people to give Actual Lives a ten minute standing ovation; I got 800 people to sing happy birthday to me. The next day I returned to the S.H.A.C., the Self Help Advocacy Center, where I clean the bathrooms, mop the floors, empty trash, wash windows, etc. I returned to life as a brain damaged mild mannered mop boy.
Other accomplishments:
In September 2005, one of my painting, “I’m OK” was chosen by the City of Austin in “Austin Arts.”
In September 2006 one painting, “Pastery Hill,” was chosen by VSA Arts for their book, Beyond Boundaries.
In January 2007, I was used as an exampled for a superhero in a University of Texas Speech Pathology textbook. My voice was used along with my good looks.
I am a guest speaker at freshmen classes and graduate classes for Speech at the University of Texas.
Ya know, life is a roller coaster and God said, “Hang on!”
Read the Adventures of Superhero Mop Boy at Blogspot.com
For purchase information contact Mike Burns at (512) 385-5256.
