From: Subject: Fans Date: Wed, 12 Nov 2008 07:52:24 -0800 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="Windows-1252" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Location: file://C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Desktop\Refugees from a Merry-Go-Round\03 Refugees from a Merry-Go-Round\39 x03 Fans.htm X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2900.3350 Fans
Fans and self-important well-wishers finally have = dispersed; their=20 accolades, like sugar cubes, quickly dissolve. The actors chat = among=20 themselves, commiserating; it is closing night, the last hurrah, = prelude=20 to their Unemployment Blues.

"At least = you're=20 doing the last show of the season, Ben. Janie and I go back to the = bread=20 lines--LA for her, New York for me. Brrrrr; I can feel that Hudson = River=20 chill already--rain and sleet and gone-gray snow trickling down my = spine.=20 Yesterday, in Manhattan, it was fifteen."

"Degrees?"

"No; actors = left=20 breathing. The rest had probably frozen to death in = line."

"Paul, it's = April."

"Janie, = it's New=20 York."

Ben opts = for silence;=20 there is nothing more insufferable than woebegone = peers.

Paul downs = his fourth=20 Black Russian.

"Where the = hell is=20 Gillian? Deserted us in ow... ow... Ben?"

"Our = hour?"

"Thank = you... of=20 need?"

"She went=20 home."

"Say what? = How? When?=20 Went home without a word? That's treason! That's cruel! That's = MOST=20 unusual behavior!" He draws his finger across his throat. "Off = with her=20 head."

"Paul is in = his=20 cups."

Ben = agrees.

"Besotted."

"Pickled to = the=20 gills."

"Objection! = I am=20 stone-cold sober. Watch me walk this plank, you fractious,=20 scandal-mongers." Paul walks two of his fingers along a groove in = the=20 threesome's table. "There; see? Everyone stand and applaud. Go = ahead, I'll=20 time you. The record is one and a quarter minutes." He refers to = the back=20 of his wrist (though it bears no watch), then glances at his = cohorts.=20 "Hey, up on your feet."

"Do you = believe this man;=20 actually clocks ovations; to the second, no = less?"

Paul lowers = his=20 arm.

"It's love. = However long=20 they clap is how much they love me. To clap, my friends, is to = give a=20 person love."

"To love, = if your=20 involved, is to give a person clap."

Paul's head = defines an=20 arc from Janie to Ben.

"Slander!"

He drops = his head to the=20 table. Janie pats his back.

"First = time, ever, I've=20 seen this man pass out."

Paul = protests.

"I am = not=20 unconscious; merely stunned by my detractors."

They let = him=20 stew.

"Janie, why = did=20 Gillian go straight home?"

"Said she = wasn't feeling=20 well. Didn't look good, either."

"She sure = as hell looked=20 good onstage, tonight. Rarely have I seen her any sharper. = Brilliant.=20 Absolutely brilliant. And that last line... Whew! Blew me away. = Didn't=20 even sound like Gillian's voice."

"It = wasn't." Ben regards his = colleague with a=20 do-explain expression. Janie obliges. "That's what she told me. Afterwards. = 'Thanks,' she=20 said. 'You saved my ass. For the life of me, those words just = wouldn't=20 come.'"

"If Gillian = didn't=20 deliver her line, who did?"

Janie = shrugs.

"Not = I."

Ben seconds = her.

"Well, it = sure as hell=20 wasn't me."

Paul = revives for a=20 moment.

"Off with = her=20 head."

 

 

Fur worn, = limbs limp,=20 face somewhat impassive, Mongo sits on Gillian's flannel-clad=20 breastbone... as she outlines his fuzzy features with her thumb... = thinking...  reminiscing... drifting into a vacuum left by = sheer=20 exhaustion.

"No sense = crying anymore,=20 my little friend; it's over. Funny, life... acting. Morgan will be = home=20 soon. We'll have our little scene of reconciliation. I'll=20 apologize--profusely. He'll accept. Not right away, of = course;=20 he'll hold his pain against me. I'll have to stroke and soothe his = masculine ego. Eventually, however, he'll come around. Forgive me. = Allow=20 me into his heart. Far from which I've strayed." She looks at the = monkey's=20 button eyes, for sympathy. "Long enough to have hurt him, I = admit." She=20 hugs the toy to her forehead. "But wounds like his will heal, with = a=20 little balm... with a few kind words... with the truth. Which is?" = She=20 lowers her chin. "I love him."=20

=20

=20

Morgan=20 stops...=20

Back=20 to Table of Contents=20

BACK=20 ONE
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