Limitless Opportunities

Ernest Holmes says there is One Infinite Mind consciously directing our destiny. No mistakes have been made, none are being made, and none can be made.

“Suppose someone says,” he continues, 'I have made a lot of mistakes in my life, I had opportunities I did not grasp.' Every man has this feeling at some time in his life. This is a direct belief that there is but one opportunity which comes to man and if he does not take it he will have no more. This is a belief in limited opportunities and must be denied completely and specifically.” 

After watching the dark southern gothic independent film, “Joe,” starring Nicholas Cage, I found a fascinating story about opportunities lost, then found, then lost again...centered on one of the other stars.

According to Internet articles, Gary Poulter was recruited to play the pivotal role of the ugly, alcoholic, degenerate yet charismatic villain -- a man who beats his son for his day’s earnings, pimps out his daughter for booze money, and kills a fellow drunk for a bit of money and a bottle of liquor.

Poulter was living on the streets of Austin, Texas when casting agents were canvassing bus-stops and street corners for colorful characters to populate the film. Decades of addiction had wasted his appearance, but he had just the authenticity the director,  David Gordon Green, was seeking.

While he easily could have had a small part, the director spotted something special and offered him the third lead if he would commit, memorize his lines, and be on time every day.  He agreed.

Reportedly, although Poulter had youthful acting aspirations, he became a drifter, was in and out of rehab, had an arrest record, had been diagnosed as bipolar, and basically, by age 53, was homeless. Yet here he was, with a totally unexpected opportunity. A new door was opening.

Poulter posted on Facebook: "The script called for somebody that looked like 'An old man, alcoholic, prone to violence, who looked like the aftermath of a human disaster.' My first day of shooting when I went to hair and make up. I asked the woman 'Bridgette' 'Do you need to do anything with my appearance?' She said 'No you're good!!!!!!!!!!!!!!' lol."

Poulter committed, stayed sober on the days he filmed, was embraced by the crew, and  blew people away with his embodiment of the role. He was working to put his life back together and even had some promising auditions for roles after the film ended. This was his big break.

Sadly, this was not to be. A few weeks after production ended, he was found submerged in three feet of water near a homeless encampment. He had received medical attention for alcohol-induced seizures a few days before, and possibly this is what happened to him before he fell in the water.

But whatever happened, his time was up. The door closed, but according to director Green in an interview: ”The last conversation we had, he said 'I could die a happy man.’”

Gary Poulter’s life is the stuff of novels and movies. But it also fits with these words from Ernest Holmes:

“If a man has had, and apparently lost, many opportunities, he must be shown that he stands at the point of limitless opportunity; that opportunity is right here today; that he sees and grasps it. It recognizes him as he recognizes it. We exist in Limitless Opportunities, which are forever seeking expression through us.“

So Poulter, standing at that point of limitless opportunity, saw it, grasped it, and left an indelible legacy through his one and only film.

And so it is.