14th Street — Act II (Chicago)
This is the second act to a two part “play.” The first act can be found here. This is somewhere between a screen play and a play. It could go either way I guess. If you enjoy it leave me a comment or give me a follow.
Act II
Teller
Welcome to Crust and Crumble what can I get you today?
Sam
Hi, can I get a cherry pop-tart and a double Americano?
Teller
A cherry tart and an Americano with an additional shot. That will be seven dollars and your number is 17.
Your order will be called out when it’s ready.
Sam hands over 7 dollars and shuffles to the waiting area in his grey suit and black overcoat. Should take a minute or two to draw the espresso shots.
Bakery Assistant
Number 17?
Sam
Hey yeah, that’s me. Thank you.
Sam takes a bite of his pop-tart, sips his coffee, and ducks out the door where he almost runs into Justine
Justine
Excuse me — Oh shit. it’s you.
Sam
Justine?
Justine and Sam are on the street in early evening Chicago. Late fall.
Justine
So, I — I see you aren’t in DC anymore?
Sam
Not anymore. Neither are you?
Justine
I live here now. You?
Sam
For the past few years yeah me too
Justine
How have you been since we last saw each other?
Sam
After that night I met you everything became crystal clear. I took that fellowship and Emily was either going to understand and want the best for me or wouldn’t
Justine
Right. Emily. And?
Sam
Things got pretty messy. I wouldn’t say it went up in flames and burned to the ground. There might be a semblance of a framework left.
Pause
So what happened with you?
Justine
I finished two years at the Navy and I thought I might give academia a try again. The University of Chicago offered me a tenure track position that I accepted and now I’m here.
Sam
Wow that’s amazing. Congratulations.
Justine
After being out of school and now that I’m on the other side of things I think I saw why you were depressed back in DC. I’ve come a bit into a funk myself — Even though work seems to be going well.
Sam
Not even artisanal Pop-tarts can cure it?
Justine
I see I got you hooked
Justine gestures at the half eaten pop-tart that Sam occasionally takes a bite from while she is speaking.
Sam
I mean I had never really given them a shot, but when I moved here I decided why the hell not and it makes me think of you every time I see them
Justine slows down and turns to Sam with a serious look
Justine
Do you mind if I unload my problems on you this time?
Sam
I am at your service. My rate is 2 drinks though.
Justine
I didn’t charge you anything!
Sam
Experience commands a higher price Doctor Justine
Justine
I bet we are the same age. One the count of three we both say our ages at the same time
One, two, three
Sam
32
Justine
30
Sam
HA! I am older, wiser —
Justine
And slower.
I know a place, but you have to drink whatever I get you.
Pause
Deal?
Sam
Seems like a dangerous proposition. I’m in.
Justine
So I’ve been in the real world for about three years now. Until then I had been an “Academic” or something to that effect. Now I’m back in Academia, but from the other side of the table and it’s more depressing than I realized.
Sam
Why is that?
Justine
So most research is driven by desire to solve complex and challenging problems — these are problems that might take someone’s whole life to solve. This is why there is something called the tenure system where once I have it the act of firing me becomes significantly more difficult.
Sam
As opposed to right now. I guess your head is basically on the chopping block?
Justine
Something to that effect — what you do think my job is?
Sam
I would guess it’s something like teach a bunch of sniveling undergraduates things you can do in your sleep and try to publish some papers and go to conferences. Maybe get a grant here or there to fund your research.
Justine
You are partially correct. My job is to generate some multiplier of the money the university spends on me. If they spend a million dollars on me then I should think about bringing in some multiplier of that or at least equal to that in order to get tenure. I mean, that’s what I was told by the other faculty in a circumspect manner.
Sam
Oh, so it’s not even clear about what’s deserving of tenure or not?
Justine
Not officially, but I know its money. I guess. I guess it was always there for me to see. My PhD adviser was always writing grants and was concerned about money. I know what he was going through now.
Sam
So are you happy as a professor?
Justine
I don’t know. I guess my illusions of what I thought it might be were just shucked away and thrown out like a bad oyster or something
Sam
So you need to be good at getting money. I would guess that good work precedes people giving you money to do more good work
Justine
You’re right. I guess it’s like seeing how bacon is made and kind of wanting to become a vegetarian, but you still like eating bacon, egg, and cheese sandwiches.
Sam
With the yellow American Cheese?
Justine
It has to be yellow American
Sam
Well, after almost two years in this fellowship I can tell you that whatever your salary, challenges with work, and just society in general you can still rest comfortable in the fact that you still got it pretty good.
Justine
I know. I know, there are a lot of people in the country and elsewhere in the world that have it a lot worse off than me
Sam
They are worse off and I think a lot of the times happier
Justine
Happier and worse off?
Sam
I was in Eastern Kentucky in the heart of coal country. I was demonstrating to the local governments how to directly apply for federal aid and ensure they get it. This is to combat the decline in coal prices and provide money for new job training. We can safely say that I look nothing like the people in Eastern Kentucky, much less speak or act like they might, but I got pulled into their community for a brief amount of time.
Justine
They plied you with barbecue, sweat tea, and Moon Pies or something?
Sam
Actually, it was whisky, bluegrass, and regular pies. I used to play guitar, well specifically blues guitar back in the day when I was in High School. I started jamming with this local band and I guess I rediscovered playing music again. I’m going back for Thanksgiving in a few weeks to play some gigs with the band and have my first fried Turkey
Justine
It sounds like that move to the new job worked out for you.
Sam
I guess it did. I think after that night I knew that I had to make a change or I was only going to get worse
Justine
I think I understand that feeling a bit more now
Sam
You just started being a professor. How can you already be tired about it?
Justine
I’m just here because that’s where all my work took me. I never really gave it too much thought. I never really questioned or thought about what I really wanted. I just liked doing research and being a good scientist.
Sam
So what would success look like to you?
Justine
You mean how do I define success?
Sam
No, I mean imagine you are on your death bed and reflecting on your life for the last few minutes before you pass. What is it that makes you smile and feel that you were successful in what you set out to achieve?
Justine
Not exactly a question for the street. We’re here
Justine and Sam are outside of a warm lit restaurant with live fireplaces visible from the window. The bar has two stools open near the front windows. They check their coats and take up residence on the stools
Justine
Hey, Ricky how are the kids?
Ricky (The bartender)
Hey Prof, they are good. You want the usual?
Justine
Actually let’s get two of those
Ricky
Sure thing, I’ll put those orders in now. Also, is that homework due before Fall break or after?
Justine
It’s due before. I have to have something to grade while you guys are goofing off for Thanksgiving.
Ricky moves away to fix the drinks
Sam
Well, you come here enough to be a regular and the bartender is one of your students?
Justine
Yeah, he is trying to finish his degree and my chemistry classes are one of the few core requirements he needs to finish. He has two adorable kids.
Sam
Based on your smile it looks like teaching agrees with you
Justine
It’s my favorite part of the job to be honest
Sam
So that brings us back to my question I think
Justine
Patience Sam, here comes perfection
Ricky approaches carrying two steaming cups of what looks like coffee
Sam
Coffee?
Justine
Just wait and taste
Ricky
Here we go. Two Nutty Irishmen for the Professor and her friend.
Justine
Thank you Ricky, this is Sam, an old friend of mine who I met back in DC.
Ricky
Well, welcome to Deluxe Sam. If you need anything else please let me know. It’s all on the house.
Sam arches an eyebrow
Ricky
Professor Justine here is the best tutor. Without her I wouldn’t be getting my degree a year early and Charlize, my youngest, just got put into an accelerated program.
Sam
That’s amazing. I had no idea Justine was such a good teacher
Ricky
She doesn’t charge anything except drinks and dinner every so often here. My wife Susie was a little skeptical at first, but when she saw Justine’s multiple suitors here she became more comfortable with our tutoring arrangement.
Sam
Oh? Multiple suitors you said?
Ricky looks at Sam with a tilt to his head and kind of measures how tall he is based on the bar stool
Ricky
Actually, you might just be her type Sam. I’d say look out. Let me know if you guys need anything else.
Rick moves away and Sam turns towards Justine
Sam
So what is your type exactly?
Justine
Do you want me to answer your first question or that one first? Take a sip of your drink
Sam
First, and yes Professor
They take sips and Sam’s face should be something between elation and ecstasy. Justine either smiles or laughs.
Justine
Yeah I know that was my expression the first time I had one
Sam
I’d tutor people for this too
Justine
This is your answer to your first question
Sam
Drinking boozy coffee at a bar?
Justine
No, drinking boozy coffee with the guy I’ve been measuring every other guy I meet against, in a bar where I’m friends with the owner. I live across the street and it’s a ten minute walk to campus. The woman who I buy bread from, her name is Margaret, and her father opened the bakery after he got back from the European Front in World War II. He spent a lot of time with French bakers and they have the best baguettes in the city.
Could utilize scenes of these places with Justine’s voiceover
I buy my fruit and veggies from a small Vietnamese market a few blocks over. Sunny and his wife came here in the eighties and if I call ahead of time they will pack up a bag with everything I usually get plus a few new exotic fruits and vegetables they import from their contacts at their old village. And when I get the feeling for artisanal Pop-tarts I go into Frank’s and get a double Americano and a cherry tart as they call it even though it looks like a pop-tart. Something about trademarks they said. Frank’s daughter attends the same Judo school I go to.
Sam
So community is what you want and it seems like you’ve got it.
Justine
But I didn’t have you sitting here the whole time. I just hope you’ll stay.
Sam
You think Ricky has rooms in the back? I think you just got me addicted. Is that weird if I want to live in here?
Justine
Susie might take offense since she runs the place while Ricky just bartends. I might be able to put in a good word though. How about your answer?
Sam
My answer to what my type of guy is? I guess he has long blonde hair, blue eyes, rock hard abs and is able to lift heavy things.
Justine
Obviously that is your type of guy I figured that already. I meant your first question. When you are lying on your deathbed and you are looking back on your life what is it that makes you smile?
Sam
I don’t think that was my question exactly
Justine
I made some edits. It’s better now.
Sam
Well, one thing is off my list. I got to meet you again. As for the rest well, there is probably something cliché about having a positive effect on the world and being the change I want to see and some other superhero goals, but all I can think about is where the night takes us and if you will storm out of the bar in anger like last time
Justine
Well, you haven’t been withholding any important information like a serious girlfriend from me have you?
Sam
Nope
Justine
Chances are looking up for you
Sam
So back to my second question — your type of guy is —
Justine
Somewhat shorter than me, doesn’t do science, doesn’t look like he is from Kentucky, and was once musically inclined.
Sam
What if he is still musically inclined?
Justine
Depends on if he is any good or plans to get better
Sam
I’m no Bela Fleck, but I do play with a band sometimes where we get paid to perform
Justine
I guess that’ll do.
END.
If you read all the way to the end. I sincerely thank you and hope that it was enjoyable. Please excuse typos that I did not catch. Give me a follow or leave me a comment if you want to read more stuff like this.
