A casting office in a big city. Pretty quiet right now.
A GIRL at a desk, fielding calls and running the place. A FEW ACTORS (WOMEN and MEN) seated on couches and chairs. Scanning over their sides for an audition.
A LOVELY YOUNG WOMAN off by herself. Reading a magazine.
After a moment, A YOUNG MAN plops down heavily near her.
Smiles. Pulls a batch of pages out of a coat pocket.
HIM (Quietly.) … what a life, huh? Acting.
Their eyes meet. She smiles, then glances away. He holds his gaze.
The guy smiles over at her. She nods. Finally, she speaks without looking back over.
HER … we’ve met before. By the way.
HIM I thought so.
HER I mean, in case you were wondering.
HIM No, I wasn’t … I have a great memory and so I remember. That we have. Met, I mean.
HER Yeah?
HIM Definitely.
HER You do? You remember that?
HIM Of course! I mean … were we in something together? You seem very familiar … were you on that Criminal Minds episode I did?
HER Ummmmm … no … this was at an opening.
HIM Right, yes, right! We were at that one … opening … together. Absolutely.
HER Yeah? Does that ring a bell for you?
HIM Of course! We were … we had a nice talk.
HER … we did talk … yes …
HIM That was you! Right! I thought so …
GIRL at the desk calls out a name and A YOUNG WOMAN gets up and moves over to her. A brief chat (unheard) and the actress heads off down a hallway.
HER “Call backs.”
HIM Absolutely! The worst …
HER I know. I hate ’em even more than the actual auditions, I think.
HIM Ha! Really?
She nods, turning back to the copy of Vogue on her lap.
HER Probably so. The competition’s harder, you want it even more now ’cause you’re close and then they keep you sitting and sitting and sitting … and most times, all for nothing! (Beat.) God, this business …
HIM That’s so true! (Beat.) I love the script—material like this is so hard to find. To be a part of. I would kill for the chance at this … something on cable? Amazing.
They share a knowing smile as the desk GIRL calls out another name—this time A MAN does the routine with her.
Anyway …“hi.” (Beat.) It’s been a while.
HER I know. I didn’t think you remembered.
HIM Really? Are you kidding me?
HER Well, I mean, it kinda feels like it.
HIM Not at all! (Beat.) I’m … I’ve thought about you a few times since then …
HER What? No. Come on …
HIM I have. Really.
HER … that’s not …
HIM I have too! Yes! (Smiles.) I think you’re terrific … so beautiful and, you know … talented … so of course I have. Sure.
HER Well, that’s … even if it’s a lie that’s very sweet.
HIM It’s not! I promise! (Smiles.) We gotta stick together, us actors … don’t we? Need to trust each other a little bit.
HER No question! All the folks out there who wanna bring us down, who we are as people and our work and … all that. Critics and bloggers and just … family, too, even … sometimes. (Beat.) The “haters,” you know?
HIM Yep.
HER Or your boyfriend or even some guy you’ve sleep with—it really hurts when you give yourself to someone and you find out that you can’t depend on ’em. At all. They say they’ll stay in touch … that they’ll call you back … but they don’t.
HIM So true. I mean … that is so true. Can’t tell you how many times that’s happened to me! Dozens of times …
HER Huh. I’d love to hear …
The guy starts to say something but stops due to the GIRL at the desk calling out another name. ANOTHER GUY up and off to the chopping block.
… you were saying?
HER About the times you’ve been let down. I think you were gonna tell me about the different people who’ve screwed you over.
HIM That’s … nah, forget it. Doesn’t matter.
HER You didn’t mean me, though, did you?
HIM You? No, God no! Why would I think that?
HER After everything we did that night. That night after the opening …
HIM … right …
HER Things I never tried before … positions I’ve never even thought of. I feel like lots of stuff happened that I can’t even remember because I drank so much, or we took some kind of … I dunno. I just kept drinking and stuff … and then I woke up on the steps of my apartment building … which is weird.
HIM Huh. (Beat.) I don’t remember that …
HER No?
HIM Uh-uh. Not at all. Not really.
HER So, then … what do you remember?
They stop as the GIRL calls out another name and ANOTHER ACTOR goes up to the desk and then off down the hallway.
HIM … you know …
HER No. Tell me. What?
HIM Us. At that, you know … the opening. I invited you to that event, didn’t I? I remember now. I took you with me. (Beat.) I forwarded you my e-vite …
HER That’s right.
HIM You had on this, like, pretty gown with the … it was kind of a … it was a really nice color as I think back on it—was it like peach? Or maybe apricot? Or was it more yellow? Not lemon, not as bright as that … but in that general world. (Beat.) Am I right? Was it yellow?
HER It was orange, actually. A pale orange.
HIM Right! That’s right … I said “apricot” so obviously I … remember …
She studies him for a moment, then nods in agreement. She waits a beat, then says:
HER Uh-huh. And what else?
HIM What do you mean? (Beat.) Ahhh … you had shoes on, too, obviously, but I’m not sure what they looked like—and a handbag. I think.
HER No. I’m asking what else you can remember about our time together. (Beat.) Tell me.
HIM Oh. (Beat.) Ummmmmmm … more like us … you know, out at dinner—we went to that new spot over in Westwood, didn’t we? I think so, anyway—and then we came back to my place and I played you a few of the old Jazz records that I collect …
HER … yeah, I remember that …
HIM Right? And then we … did we go out onto my deck? It seems like we might’ve …
HER We certainly did. Yes. Up to a patio …
HIM And then we … I mean, obviously … yes, we ended up in bed at some point … which was great. Lovely. Really special.
HER I thought so too. I mean, at the time…
HIM Me too! Absolutely so.
HER What with all the … positions and … the promises we made to each other. (Beat.) Plus, that video we did.
HIM Oh … sure, yes … the video …
HER … and then nothing. (Beat.) No-thing.
HIM No, that’s … no, not nothing.
HER Pretty much, yeah. I mean, you certainly didn’t call back. Not ever. I would’ve, I’d’ve been happy to call you but there was something about you couldn’t give it out, your number, because it was a “work” phone … and … then we went back and forth about how you’d take mine instead … take it and text me a different number later where I could at least leave a message … (Beat.) It was pretty elaborate.
HIM … that’s true … it’s a business line … but I gave you my email, though. Didn’t I? Or … some …
HER Nope. Nothing.
HIM Wow. I didn’t? I’m sure that I … was …
HER Apparently you dropped me off the next morning—this was after the opening of that last Harry Potter movie … not the second last part but the first last part. That one …
HIM I liked the first last part better.
HER And I know that you said you’d call … promised me you would. But you didn’t.
The guy is about to defend himself when the GIRL at the desk calls out another name. ANOTHER PERSON exits.
… that’s okay, Brad. That’s alright … I get it. It’s part of the “business.” Getting used.
HIM Hey, no, that’s not … I didn’t use you!
HER No?
HIM Not at all! Please! (Beat.) If I forgot to call it’s because … it wasn’t at all about you … it was me … I take responsibility for it. It’s because I wasn’t able to … it just wasn’t possible for me … at the time … to, you know …
HIM Ha! (Laughs.) That’s not what I was going to say. No.
HER But can you? (Beat.) Brad?
HIM What?
HER Even remember who I am.
HIM Yes! Of course! (Beat.) You were in that one … you did a soap, right? I remember that, and a CSI: Miami, too, I think … that girl with the … artificial arm who turned out to be … the killer … with a gun hidden inside of your … (Miming.)
HER My name, Brad. Do you know it?
HIM I mean … yeah, of course I do. Yes.
HER Ok. (Beat.) Ok, good, I believe you …
HIM Thanks. (Beat.) Listen, I didn’t not call you because I didn’t know your name!! It was because I lost your number. That was why.
HER Oh. You could’ve looked me up online, and we’re also at the same agency…. I mean, in case you didn’t remember that, either.
HIM No, ok, no, that I didn’t remember, but the rest is … I really did misplace it. Your number. (Beat.) I thought I put it into my phone but when I looked it was—yeah, so I guess I didn’t. Sorry.
HER How do you know?
HIM What do you mean?
HER If you don’t know my name how can you be sure my number’s not in there? (Pointing.) I mean …
HIM Stop! I know your name!
HER Then look me up and show me. Right now. (Beat.) Go ahead, Brad. Show me.
He begins to search in vain. Stalling a bit. Finally, she reaches over and takes his phone. He protests but he lets her do it. She scrolls through his address book.
Hmmm … lots of girls …
HIM There’s guys, too.
HER Yeah, there are, but lots and lots of girls.
HIM … I get along with girls better …
HER Five “Amys” and six “Brittanys” and …
HIM … Brittany’s a very popular name …
HER Oh wow … there must be about … must be almost ten “Christies.” (Points.) Who is “Christie-Don’t-Answer?”
HIM … she’s just this person who … she went a little nutso on me after a few dates so I … just … added that little code …
She holds up the phone for him to see—pointing at the screen.
HER Ahh. And me. Right there. My email, too.
HIM That’s it … I knew it started with a “D!” Denise! Of course I had it because I sent you the e-vite. (Beat.) Hello there. Yes.
She smiles at him, then drops the phone back in his lap.
HER Nope, wrong answer. That was a test. Try again.
He picks up his phone, looks at it. Puts it away. They sit for a moment in silence. Finally, he gives it a go.
HIM … look, I’m sorry if you’re … (Beat.) So … should we run the lines? For the scene, I mean. Wanna run ’em together?
HER No, that’s ok, Brad. It’s the story of a girl who confronts a guy who’s been a complete and total asshole to her. (Beat.) I know it by heart.
Before he can say anything else the GIRL at the desk is at it again. Calls out a name (“Denise”) and THE ACTRESS stands up. She smiles at him and walks off.
HIM Wait, I thought you said … see?! I knew it was “Denise!” I knew that was you!
She stops and turns. Looks straight at him.
HER By the way … I’m just here for a costume fitting. I’m already cast, so … (Smiles.) Good luck.
With that she is gone. Never looks back. The guy shakes his head and mutters softly to himself.
HIM Shit. “Denise.” I knew that was right!! “Denise.” That’s it … Denise.
He checks his phone. He sighs heavily and puts the phone away. The guy turns back to the pages in his lap. Looks around.
Checks out ANOTHER GIRL who sits down next to him. Their eyes meet and he speaks:
Acting. What a life, huh?
The girl nods but slides down a chair—one extra seat away from the guy. He notices this but lets it go. He goes back to memorizing his lines. Waiting.
Silence. Darkness.