Cafe Girl: A Story of Coffee, Sex, Cigarettes, & True Love

Tom's Diner

Act Two, Scene Seven

Lights fade in on patio, all sit gathered around on patio, raining.

Deborah:

Have you ever read Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte? Its about a man named Heathcliff who is brought into this family at a young age and adopted, but he's basically a servant because he's lower class, or family origin unknown. But, the daughter, Catherine befriends him and as they grow up together, they sort of fall in love. But, due to societal pressures or something she marries someone else, and then shortly after that she dies.

Matthew:

Sounds tragic.

Deborah:

Yeah, but anyway right before she gets married she is talking to this maid, Nell, I think and the maid asks her how she can marry someone else if she loves Heathcliff, how she can stand to be separated from him. And she, Catherine, explains that she will never be separated because she and Heathcliff are one, she says after this long dramatic monologue, "if all else fails and he survives, I should still continue to be." I, kind of, always felt akin to that story, you know.

Matthew: W

hy is that?

Deborah:

I don't know why, actually. It just, kind of, hits me in the heart. It makes sense. I read a lot, always have.

Matthew:

That's cool.

Deborah:

Do you like to read?

Matthew:

Of course. You said you were reading The Hitchhiker's series?

Deborah:

Yeah, I just finished.

Matthew:

What'd you think?

Deborah:

Hilarious. Except I found something odd.

Matthew:

What's that?

Deborah:

The restaurant at the end of the universe, which this cafe is named after--

Matthew:

What about it?

Deborah:

That's where they watched the Universe end, explode, sort of.

Matthew:

So?

Deborah:

What's that say about this place?

Matthew:

That, maybe, we'll watch the end of the universe from this place?

Deborah:

And then, what?

Matthew:

Who knows?

Ray:

Will you two stop flirting already? Can't a guy get some service around here?

Matthew:

All right, lawn gnome. I'll be right back, okay?

(She nods, Matthew exits into cafe, Deborah looks outward into audience, thinks.)

James:

So about the book?

Deborah:

The book?

James:

The one you were just talking about--

Deborah:

Oh, Wuthering Heights?

James:

Yeah.  Why do you think it hits you like that?

Deborah:

I guess, I just feel like Catherine, you know.

James:

Like how?

Deborah:

Trapped...somehow.

Ray:

Trapped?

Deborah:

Yeah, trapped. By what others think of you, what you can and can't do, what you should do with your life, love.

Ray:

That is...trapped.  You'll find your way to, let it go.

Deborah:

Oh yeah, how?

Ray:

Well, first, the end isn't always such a horrible thing.

Deborah:

Yeah, but its still hard, you know, still hurts.

Ray:

Pain is necessary.

(silence, thunder.)

Thomas:

Dramatic.

Deborah:

Beautiful though.

Shaggy:

But deadly.

James:

What do you mean by 'love'?

Deborah:

What?

James:

How does love trap you?

Deborah:

What is it anyway? How do you know when you feel it?

James:

You just do, really. Why?

Ray:

You love Matt?

Deborah:

I think so, but--

(after a moment, quietly.)

That's not the only issue.

Ray:

What is?

Deborah:

What if you find yourself falling for...can you fall in love with two people at once?

Ray:

Who says you can't?

James:

(to Shaggy)

What do you mean, deadly? Lightning?

Shaggy:

Toxins in the air. Falling through the rain.

Thomas:

Oh God, is nothing safe?

Ray:

You are so young, Deborah.

Deborah:

What's that supposed to mean?

Ray:

But, you'll figure it out, in the end.

Deborah:

In the end?

(Lightning. Shaggy starts counting quietly.)

James:

So, you think you are in love with two people?

Deborah:

I think so.

James:

Does Matt know?

Deborah:

Well, I haven't said.

James:

Why not?

Deborah:

Because I don't know how the other person feels.

James:

Would that make a difference?

Deborah:

(after a moment)

Yes.

(Thunder, louder.)

Shaggy:

Three miles away.

Thomas:

Better get inside.

(All exit save Shaggy.)

Shaggy:

So, this is how it ends? With a bang after all?  The end of the universe?

(Lights out.)

Cafe Girl: A Story of Coffee, Sex, Cigarettes, & True Love

I Think I'm Paranoid

Act Two, Scene Five

Interior: cafe: As lights rise, all the boys are hovered over computer, where Shaggy sits. Deborah enters, watches for a moment then speaks.

Deborah:

Can I get some service here?

They all turn and come down stage, Matthew kisses her.

Matthew:

Get you anything?

Deborah:

Yeah, cappuccino, maybe?

She hands him some cash, he smiles and kisses her and exits towards counter to make her espresso drink.

So, what are you all doing around the computer? Looked conspiratorial?

Ray:

You don't know the half of it!

They all gather around center table, holding coffee cups.

Deborah:

Okay, now I'm interested.

Ray:

Shaggy was just showing some of his "research".

Shaggy:

You don't really believe, do you?

Ray:

Sounds a bit fishy? Sometimes I wonder if conspiracy theorists aren't closely related to evangelists! You sure, you and Thomas aren't distant cousins or something?

Shaggy:

What's that supposed to mean?

Thomas:

Yeah, what's that supposed to mean?

Ray:

You know how you both feel like you found "the truth" and you think that's the only way, that's how it is, and you insist that everyone has to believe or, I don't know, die.

Thomas:

That's not what I'm saying---

Ray:

Its just that everyone believes what they want to believe, what's true to them, right? And, why must it be this struggle between ourselves? You know, in the words of Rodney King, why can't we all just get along?

Thomas:

Its not like I'm not.  I'm just trying to help...

Ray:

I know, Thomas.  We all know.

Deborah:

So, your research, Shaggy?

Shaggy:

You sure you want to hear it? You want to be proseltyzed?

Deborah:

I've done the church thing before, so maybe I oughta try this.

Thomas:

You go to church too!

Deborah:

Not really, just with my family, you know, when the grandparents visit.

Thomas:

Really? What'd you think?

Ray:

God, Thomas, never thought you'd be one of those types, a CIA!

Thomas:

CIA?

Shaggy and James:

CIA?

Ray:

Yeah, Christian In Action!

Shaggy:

Back to my discoveries, if you may. See, Deborah, its all ties back to the Illumati or the Rothschilds, an elite banking family that rose to power in the turn of the first century and quickly began spreading out its branches into all sorts of different aspects of society, mainly, the major world governments. Yes, including the CIA, not like Thomas though. They founded the federal reserve after they constructed the crash of the stock market that brought about the great depression, they offered the way out, the president accepted, well, he had no choice, really. They constructed evidence against him to destroy him, if he didn't. He had to comply. Since then, the presidency is just puppetry and pagentry, a cover for the Illumati, the real power in control.

Deborah:

Wait a minute, you believe all this?

Shaggy:

Well, not believe, know. The evidence is clear.

Deborah:

Okay...

Shaggy:

If I may continue...Since then, they've been working behind the scenes, orchestrating world events to bring about the downfall of the masses and their eventual reign. Like 9-11--

Thomas:

9-11?

Shaggy:

Yeah, it was an inside job. You want to see?

He gets up and heads back towards computer. Thomas and Ray follow, reluctantly. James sits, staring into space, motionless.

Deborah:

You okay, James?

He looks up.

James:

Just thinking.

Deborah:

About?

James:

It just brings back, flashbacks, I guess.

Deborah:

Flashbacks?

James:

When I lived in New Orleans---

Deborah:

Really? When was that?

James:

My first wife and I lived there for awhile, I got a job there. About two years ago.

Deborah:

Oh, okay.

James:

And, there was an office of the CIA set up in that town.

Deborah:

Really? Christians in Action?

James:

No. Do you know about them? Shaggy didn't even touch them. They conduct experiments on the general public, mind control. I have proof, they did it to me.

Deborah:

What?

James:

It started simply. I noticed blue cars, always blue, unmarked, following me wherever I went. Then, I started having dreams but they weren't dreams, you know, I don't think so. I was in some sort of room, on an examination table, and they inserted something in my brain. Since then, I've had this terrible ringing. My ex-wife, she woke up one morning with a bloody nose, metallic object fell out of it. Then, she started saying that never happened. And, then she started telling my friends she wanted to have me committed. That's when she went to "their side."

Deborah:

What? James, are you okay?

James shakes himself.

James:

Yeah. Sorry, flashbacks.

Deborah:

Have you told anyone about this? A doctor?

James:

Who would believe me? They'd lock me up, call it "schizophrenia." Just to hide it.

Deborah:

But you can't keep this inside--

James:

Who can I tell?

Deborah:

Well, to start with, me. I'll listen. I'll try to help.

James:

Really? What if---

Deborah:

What if, what?

James:

Well, you and Matt--

Deborah:

Well, I'm your friend.

James:

You are so sweet. Thank you.

He reaches for her hand, she takes it as lights fade out.

What about the accident?

Hi y'all.

I've been searching the Internet about the metro accident Justin was telling me about, the one that I was in, supposedly. Sounds plausible that I would have been on this train as its the same one I usually take to work, however, I don't remember this particular day.

I always found it strange that this line mysteriously closed down and hasn't run since...well, this happened. But, rather interesting, why haven't they repaired and reopened?

I was curious about this, you know, are they hiding something? The government, or whatever. So, I did some more research. Justin has taught me a thing or two about how to really dig for stuff. He's kind of a conspiracy theory geek, sort of.

As I was looking through one of those off the grid type of websites, I found one detailing a certain strange machine found in the wreckage but then after the workers discovered it, turned it over to the government, a mysterious branch called "Torchwood", nothing was heard of it anymore.

They showed a picture of it, which I can't seem to upload anymore, for some odd reason. It was a rather grainy picture and because of that one would doubt the plausibility, that this may be some sort of made up hoax.

But, then the strange thing is, when I saw this picture, the outside of this "machine", I saw a flash of what it was like on the inside...and then I just had to know more.

So, I have this mate of mine, Teresa, she works for the government, nothing major really, just secretarial. But, gave her a ring anyway, just to see. She said she'd get back to me, in a bit. Look into it, see what she could find out. Just waiting, now.

Well, I'm going to go now, see what else I can find. Perhaps, it will help jog my memory, see what else is there.

Oh, and I've got an appointment with the doctor again today. By the way, he took me off the meds I was on but put me on some new ones and we are just waiting to see.  They make me sort of sleepy.  But...we'll see...

Talk soon, Peace, y'all.