A Conversation Between Friends
Michael
So in Viv's office or cubicle or whatever sort of setup she's got there at MRI, her phone rings around 1:45 or so, an hour or so after the "Smiths" and Dr. Redgrave left. "Viv. Did I catch you at a bad time?"
Mandy
“No, I'm just turning over today's new client meeting, what's up?”
Michael
"I wanted to just quickly go over our plans for heading to the hotel tomorrow night, just figure out when Charles was dropping you off so I could plan to take the bus down there." Andy would never ask Viv's husband for a ride. "Is Charles still not planning to attend the con?" (Mandy, it's up to you whether Viv's husband really wants to spend five days with a bunch of costume-clad nerds or not. )
Mandy
"You know he doesn't give a shit about any of this stuff, Andy.” Viv laughs (her and Charles don't do things together out of the home, really, and they don't keep mutual friends)
What time is the social? I'll be sure to get down there early enough beforehand to settle in.
Michael
"Oh well," Andy sort of chuckles, "Fair enough. I can't say as I blame him. And yeah, the con committee wants us there for the staff drinks do at 8 o'clock." A pregnant pause. "Aw, Viv, I did it again. Some luckless little wormy fans came into the Med this morning and goddam it, I just let them have it. They were trying to peek at my writing, the little fuckers! But goddam it I hate losing my temper like that. Especially in public, especially at the Med."
Mandy
“Hey, hey bud it's okay. Did you remember that technique we talked about?”
Michael
"Yes, well, I could only breathe once I'd gotten out of the café and back home and the two double espressos wore off."
Mandy
“At least you remember eventually this time. Maybe no caffeine at the con, aye?”
Michael
Hah. Um, Diplomacy roll.
Asking Andrew to do five days without stimulants, man.
>>>> SUCCESS
"Okay, okay, we'll try it your way this weekend. I'll stick to green tea. I'll need it and honey for my voice anyway." Andy pauses again; that's when Viv knows his thoughts are "spooling."
"I dunno, Viv. Sometimes I think one of these young men is going to be the death of me. And I don't mean my career."
Mandy
Viv sounds a little choked up. "Only if you let them, my friend, only if you let them."
Michael
"You're going to love this, though. You've told me to trust my instincts and when I feel those 'missing frame' moments in the cinema of reality, yes? Those little scratch marks or sprocket holes? Well, when I got home from the Med and was doing my breathing … I swear I had a mental image of a couple of MARPA agents from the Atlantis books taking you to their underground base in New Mexico. Weird, huh? But I really felt like you were in danger. For a flash. Then it went."
"So.... are you okay, Viv?"
Mandy
“That's right, I love when you're in tune with yourself like that … I'm okay … I had the weirdest session today, a really interesting little girl — I can tell you more about it when I see you, but at the end of the session the mother shook my hand and FAINTED, and then lied to me about the cause of the fainting. I'm scratching my head man.”
Michael
Viv can tell Andy's lighting a Pall Mall. "Christ. Why are the vibes so goddam weird right now? It's got to be the height of summer. The Fourth. America is a Cancer, after all." Andy takes a drag. "And the con full of weirdos on top of it all. Can we just stay in our respective suites and read glorious gorgeous long prolix 19th century novels and avoid every single tedious panel and embarrassing costume contest? Please?"
Mandy
“Yeah, maybe there's something in the stars … You can do that whenever you'd like! You know this will be good for you.”
Michael
"Yeah, I know. And good for the bottom line, which ain't doing so good on this end at the moment. And for yours, with the new book coming out. You've seriously not let me read a word of Volume 2 of Kinarchy and now I'm going to hear a passage for the very first time along with all the other fen during the keynote. You know how to create a sensation, Abeille."
Mandy
“I think its my best one yet Andy, I really do.”
Michael
Andy exhales, respectfully. "That's exciting. That's damn exciting. Speaking of the stars and fortunes, if I remember my dreams tonight I'll tell you about them over frozen margs at the St. Francis bar, okay?"
"See you tomorrow, Abeille."
Mandy
“Perfection. See you tomorrow Andy, I'll be there around 7.”