Toll House Tales: All Fired Up – 120

Smoke break ponderables...

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...

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?

One of these?

GAYLE

Not even close. It was “The Little Prince.”

Really?  Did you pick it for her?

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





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  1. […] To be continued in Toll House Tales #120 […]

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