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[Action: quickly scanning the room, Kevin's eyes alight on one person; his eyes go wide { closeup of eyes } ] Kevin: { whispered } �Oh my gawd...� [Action: Kevin stumbles back out door of classroom, wades a few feet away ] [Action: enter M, who gets up from the front row of the classroom and jogs out the door after Kevin ] [Action: M catches up to Kevin, their eyes meet once again ] M: �Wait! Kevin?� Kevin: { with an almost imperceptible hint of disgust } �Oh my gawd, it is you� [Action: M puts her hands on Kevin's upper arms ] [Action: Kevin makes lazy, unspirited attempt to break free ] M: �Please don't blow me off... Just wait� Kevin: { with shock and disbelief evident } �What the hell are YOU doing here??� M: { without an ounce of irony in voice } �I'm in this class� Kevin: �What?? This is an upper-level business foundation course� M: �I know--it's my first upper-level class� Kevin: �So, last thing I knew of you, you barely had a ninth grade education, you were snorting coke up your nose and fucking two guys out in the open at a party� M: { embarrassed and aware of all the passing eyes suddenly on her } �That was a long time ago; I've cleaned up my life and made alot of changes; you should learn to keep your mouth shut once in a while� Kevin: �Oh... sorry; so...� { long pause } �you're really in this class?� M: { visibly swallowing her pride } �Let's go sit down, it's almost time for class; we'll talk during the break� Kevin: { still somewhat dazed } �Okay� [Action: Kevin and M reenter classroom together ] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- It was, of course, a dream I just woke up from. Sometimes, though, I do wonder what became of M. It seems too easy to just say she's gotta be either dead or in prison. It would be pretty easy to forecast drug addiction, a sleazy and short-lived porn career, a miserable marriage, several welfare kids squirted out, a trailer, and/or alcoholism as well. But what if she really did turn things around? Becoming normal--that is, able to hold a job, keep an apartment, pay for a running car, keep the drugs to a low roar, maybe read a magazine article here and there--would be a great advance for her. I have had a moment or two of panic here and there at school and in town when I thought, for a second, that I was looking at she. And as this diary post explains, I do have dreams (sometimes pleasant, often unpleasant) from time to time about what might have happened. Next time: situation brief returns with #5! � � |