A special note for my mom on her birthday

u r good

Let me tell you a story about my mother.

She was born in Charleston, West Virginia and her name was Susie Davis. Their family was poor by objective standards but not by West Virginia in the 1950s standards. They were the poorest people on the street but the street was on a hill. In the 1950s in Charleston there were “hill people” and “creek people” and my mom’s parents made it very clear that she was a hill person. She wanted to go on a date with a boy from the creek. She was not allowed.

But my mom didn’t give one fuck about the class divide! One time when my mom was 7 or 8 her parents took her and her siblings on a road trip. They stopped in some poverty stricken southern backwater town. And at the diner my mom made friends with some little girl from the town. My mom’s parents said to the girl’s parents “we’re going on vacation but do you want to hold on to Sue while we’re gone? She clearly loves you.” And they said, “uh sure!” and so her parents left her there for a week.

(update: some of this last paragraph is maybe incorrect)

Jeramie Rain @jeramiedreyfuss

@bendreyfuss My parents left me with the ferry driver from Nagshead to Cape Hateras.

She wanted to be an actress. One day in school a TV company came by to shoot a commercial for children. Some sort of PSA about childhood nutrition. My mom was cast in the role of “starving child who learns to eat vegetables.” This fanned her flames for the big broadway.

She went to Michigan State for a minute and then dropped out to pursue acting in NYC. They beat her hick accent out of her. She was told she had to change her name because there was already a Susie Davis in the actors equity stage union. One day there was an audition at the Public Theater and she was racing over for it. She had to come up with her new name by the time they got there. She jumped in a cab. The cab driver said “where to?” She said “The public theater.” He began to drive. She then said “hey, want to know my name?” “Uh sure.” “It’s Randy Pickins.” And the cab driver said “get a new name.” Then she said “actually my name is Vestra Altare” and the cab driver said “so you’re a stripper?” and she shook her head. She looked out the window of the cab. She had just met someone recently with a cool name. Jeremy. It was raining. She looked at the cab driver and said “my name is Jeramie Rain.” And he shrugged.

And that’s how my mom got her name!

My mom’s name is Jeramie and she talks with a normal American standard accent, but when she talks to her siblings she becomes “SUE WHO TALKS FUNNY”.

So years go by and a lot of interesting shit goes on in my mom’s life. She becomes a successful actress in horror films and stuff. She gives all that up and becomes a producer at CBS. She ends up moving to LA to be a producer at CBS. During this time she dates the most famous men of her generation.