Smoke break ponderables…
Thoughts of Destiny prompt a smoke break. Fran and Gayle step outside to chat while Julie stays comfortable near the fire.
FRAN
There you go with destiny again… You know what that means?
She looks at Julie, who shrugs her shoulders. Then she looks back at Gayle.
GAYLE
They’re in my backpack.
JULIE
What?
FRAN
Little cigars. It’s Pavlovian. Whenever this one starts talking about destiny– I feel the need to smoke little Euro cigars. You in?
Smokes for pondering…
JULIE
Nah! I’m kind of comfortable here -watching the flames.
The scene closes as the camera takes a tight shot of the flames and the sound of a door opening and closing can be heard.
FADE OUT.
EXT. BEACH HOUSE
Fade in to a close up of the lit end of a little cigar.
FRAN
These are so good.
GAYLE
Hard to come by these days. Good thing I stocked up when I went to Europe a while back.
They play around blowing smoke rings and look up at the stars.
FRAN
Great story… and (slight pause) great storytelling on your part…
Guess you’ve got the gift.
GAYLE
Thanks! I definitely learned from the best. And that version of Allegory of the Cave really resonated with me… so I thought you guys might connect with it as well.
FRAN
The use of shadows… that could be a metaphor for a lot of things. Made me think of couch potatoes with the shadows being whatever is on TV…
Gayle smiles and nods. Takes another puff of her little cigar and listens to Fran (who is clearly on a roll).
FRAN
So the shadows could also be a sort of alternative universe … where
someone finds comfort and avoids dealing with their destiny too,
right?
GAYLE
Yeah. Like I said, the shadows become a reality… not necessarily THE REALITY.
FRAN
But if you proactively choose when you “watch” your shadows, then it’s
okay, right?
GAYLE
You could say that. Shadow watching in that story was kind of passive and something one did because everyone else was doing it.
FRAN
Cool. Because all this talk about the comfort in shadows reminded me
that I haven’t looked at a newspaper since Friday at work.
GAYLE
And?
FRAN
And… you remember that I’m a freak about baseball… right? So how is it that I made it all the way to Saturday evening without the playoffs even crossing my mind?
GAYLE
Let’s see… I don’t know… perhaps you had more interesting things to occupy your mind? Just a guess…
FRAN
Yeah but… back home baseball is…
GAYLE
Your alternate reality? Yeah, I know. Some people escape into music or movies or cartoons. For you its baseball.
FRAN
…you’re right. Baseball is my escape from the tedium of my day job… by choice (she winks at Gayle). And lucky me, I found myself a partner in crime…
GAYLE
Doogie?
FRAN
Yeah. He’s a writer who likes to procrastinate. I’m just… bored with what I do all day, but uncertain what the next steps are…
GAYLE
So you substitute one boring thing with another?
Gayle breaks out into a big smile and nudges Fran playfully on the shoulder.
FRAN
Boring to you perhaps… There’s a lot going on during a baseball game
— there are all kinds of things that can keep my brain occupied.
GAYLE
Of course (She burst out laughing). I’m just playing with you…
It goes silent as they stare at the stars and take a few more puffs from their cigar. They move around to try to stay warm.
FRAN
Switching gears, I’ve got a question for you.
GAYLE
Go ahead… shoot.
FRAN
Remember before? When you said Julie was in a tough spot? What did you mean by that?
GAYLE
Look at her. She’s trying to get her career established. She’s eager to please her bosses. And you know that they know it.
FRAN
Yup. Been there, done that.
GAYLE
But she doesn’t know anything else… except doing good work and trying to please her superiors. I mean, when she gets out of her rational mind and let’s her hair down, that girl’s a deep thinker. Did you see her light up when she talked about Indiana Jones?
FRAN
Yes… Yes, I did.
GAYLE
Did you happen to notice what book she picked out at Powell’s?
FRAN
No. I figured it was something for her job– like Art of War or Davidow’s Marketing High Technology.
One of these?
GAYLE
Not even close. It was “The Little Prince.”
Really? Did you pick it for her?
FRAN
Really? Did you pick it out for her?
GAYLE
Nah. She found it… er, it found her.
FRAN
Whoa. That’s way cool.
GAYLE
And don’t think I didn’t notice what you bought.
FRAN
The Umpire Strikes Back? I liked the title — thought it had a Star Wars connection.
GAYLE
Yeah, right. What about the other book?
FRAN
Celestine Prophecy? It jumped into my hands, so I felt compelled…
GAYLE
I think you’ll enjoy it.
FRAN
Right now, I think I’d enjoy warming up by that fire.
GAYLE
Me too!
They smush what’s left of their cigars and head back in the house. The scene ends as the porch door closes behind them.
###
To be continued in Toll House Tales #121
[…] To be continued in Toll House Tales #120 […]