For a barista, Donna sure was high-maintenence. Or maybe the problem was Evan. Maybe being an hour late was what pushed his darn girlfriend over the edge this time.
"But I can explain," he said. The dry-cleaners was late with his suit, there'd been a wreck on Center Street -
Donna listened critically, pouring out a glass of beer. "You said you'd meet me here at seven. You were late, I took an extra shift, it's over."
"Donna, please, would you just listen!"
Donna slammed the glass onto the counter, making the beer in it, as well as a few patrons, jump a little. "Here. I'll put it on your tab. That's one thing you always pay back." She turned on her heel and flounced into the back room.
Evan sighed. He downed the beer and started walking toward the exit.
"Drama queens."
Evan stopped and looked to his side. A thin, dark-haired man with a sympathetic grin was looking up at him from a booth.
"Whad you say?"
"Drama queens. We've all dated one in our lives. Guess that one was yours."
"Was. But she'll take me back tomorrow, she's like that." Evan shrugged and continued toward the door.
"Well, hey, don't leave so fast. I'll buy you a drink." The man grinned and held up his wine glass as proof.
Great. One of those people, the kind who point at their wrist when they ask the time. Evan shrugged and rubbed the back of his neck, sitting down across the table. "Thanks."
"No problem, man. We've all been there." He signaled a waitress and ordered drinks for both of them. He turned to Evan. "I'm Arlo," he said, offering a business card in lieu of a handshake.
Evan took it, glancing over the gold embossed letters. "You're an agent?"
"For movie stars, buddy, not the government." He laughed at his own joke and took a sip of wine.
"Well if I think of any potential stars, I'll let you know."
"That won't be necessary. I've got one sitting across from me."
Evan raised an eyebrow. "How much have you been drinking?"
"Half a glass. I'd get drunker on root beer. Listen, I've seen you come in here a lot. You've got the right kind of face for this part I have in mind. The casting director's having a hard time with it. I think you're the key."
Evan shook his head. "You're outta your mind. I can't act."
"You don't need to. All 'acting' is is taking a part of yourself and magnifying it to fit the character. And take it from someone who's spent months tearing this script apart: you are Cal Stone."
"Cal Stone, that's the character you want me to be?"
"Yeah. Beauty of a role. His girl leaves him for the leading man. It's a great study on human nature. We're having a script reading on Thursday. Get to hear the whole story. How 'bout you swing in, audition, get the part - I know you will - and you get a brand-new job and I get to keep mine. How does that sound?"
"Well, I haven't got much to lose."
"But a lot to gain. All you gotta do is act naturally."
- - - - -
"We're gonna make a bundle on this guy. Who needs to pay twelve grand for a pro when you've got someone like him?"
"I thought we'd never get this part cast."
"And yet, we did. Good thing you brought up that boyfriend of yours."
"Eh. I can't believe I remembered him at all."
"Yeah, well, you just keep playing him like you are now, babe. Hot and cold, in and out."
"Sure thing."
"You're a doll, Donna."
"Yeah. I know."
@sgkirby
One of the weaker things I've written - but I got it done on time!!!
"But I can explain," he said. The dry-cleaners was late with his suit, there'd been a wreck on Center Street -
Donna listened critically, pouring out a glass of beer. "You said you'd meet me here at seven. You were late, I took an extra shift, it's over."
"Donna, please, would you just listen!"
Donna slammed the glass onto the counter, making the beer in it, as well as a few patrons, jump a little. "Here. I'll put it on your tab. That's one thing you always pay back." She turned on her heel and flounced into the back room.
Evan sighed. He downed the beer and started walking toward the exit.
"Drama queens."
Evan stopped and looked to his side. A thin, dark-haired man with a sympathetic grin was looking up at him from a booth.
"Whad you say?"
"Drama queens. We've all dated one in our lives. Guess that one was yours."
"Was. But she'll take me back tomorrow, she's like that." Evan shrugged and continued toward the door.
"Well, hey, don't leave so fast. I'll buy you a drink." The man grinned and held up his wine glass as proof.
Great. One of those people, the kind who point at their wrist when they ask the time. Evan shrugged and rubbed the back of his neck, sitting down across the table. "Thanks."
"No problem, man. We've all been there." He signaled a waitress and ordered drinks for both of them. He turned to Evan. "I'm Arlo," he said, offering a business card in lieu of a handshake.
Evan took it, glancing over the gold embossed letters. "You're an agent?"
"For movie stars, buddy, not the government." He laughed at his own joke and took a sip of wine.
"Well if I think of any potential stars, I'll let you know."
"That won't be necessary. I've got one sitting across from me."
Evan raised an eyebrow. "How much have you been drinking?"
"Half a glass. I'd get drunker on root beer. Listen, I've seen you come in here a lot. You've got the right kind of face for this part I have in mind. The casting director's having a hard time with it. I think you're the key."
Evan shook his head. "You're outta your mind. I can't act."
"You don't need to. All 'acting' is is taking a part of yourself and magnifying it to fit the character. And take it from someone who's spent months tearing this script apart: you are Cal Stone."
"Cal Stone, that's the character you want me to be?"
"Yeah. Beauty of a role. His girl leaves him for the leading man. It's a great study on human nature. We're having a script reading on Thursday. Get to hear the whole story. How 'bout you swing in, audition, get the part - I know you will - and you get a brand-new job and I get to keep mine. How does that sound?"
"Well, I haven't got much to lose."
"But a lot to gain. All you gotta do is act naturally."
- - - - -
"We're gonna make a bundle on this guy. Who needs to pay twelve grand for a pro when you've got someone like him?"
"I thought we'd never get this part cast."
"And yet, we did. Good thing you brought up that boyfriend of yours."
"Eh. I can't believe I remembered him at all."
"Yeah, well, you just keep playing him like you are now, babe. Hot and cold, in and out."
"Sure thing."
"You're a doll, Donna."
"Yeah. I know."
@sgkirby
One of the weaker things I've written - but I got it done on time!!!
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