Tongue Tic by Gary O. Bennett
INT. STUDENT LOUNGE
TINA sits at a table reading Glengarry Glen Ross by David
Mamet. JASON pauses at the other end of the table, then
takes a seat.
JASON
What are you reading?
Tina shifts the front cover so Jason can read it.
JASON (cont’d)
Mamet. That’s a great play. Did you see
the movie?
TINA
Are you talking to me? Are you talking
to me?
Jason can’t muster a response.
TINA (cont’d)
Have you noticed? Have you noticed that
I’m reading? I’m reading. Have I
invited you to talk? Have I given you an
invitation?
JASON
Sorry. I was just…
TINA
You were trying to pick me up.
JASON
No.
TINA
You mean yes.
JASON
Excuse me?
TINA
You said no. But words mean nothing.
You say no, but you mean yes.
JASON
I was just trying to be friendly.
TINA
Friendly? You were trying to be
friendly? I’m reading literature.
I am in the midst of a literary
experience, soon to be a performing
experience, and you want to be friendly?
JASON
You’re in Glengarry Glen Ross?
TINA
That’s what I’ve been saying. I have the
lead. I have the lead.
JASON
But there are no female characters in
Glengarry Glen Ross.
TINA
No female characters? No female
characters? I think we are limited. I
think our thinking is limited. A woman
can’t play the lead?
JASON
No, I guess maybe that might be cool; an
all female Glengarry play. Mamet’s going
to let you do it that way?
TINA
Who are you?
JASON
I’m in your class. You never noticed?
TINA
How do you know I never noticed? You sit
in the back. You sit in the back with
your baseball cap pulled to the side.
Pulled to the side like it’s a thing,
like it’s your statement, like it’s your
self-esteem, your self-esteem hanging on
your head, like a christmas ornament.
JASON
You’re a funny girl.
TINA
You think I’m funny? You think I’m
funny? Is that a compliment? Is that an
insult? You’re afraid. You’re afraid to
get up and work. You’re afraid of
criticism. Always hiding in the back
row.
JASON
Could you just shut up for a second.
Just a second. OK? OK?
TINA
OK? OK? You just said OK.
JASON
Yes. Yes. Look…your name is Tina,
right?
TINA
Tina.
JASON
Jason.
TINA
Are you introducing yourself? Are you
introducing yourself?
JASON
Yes. Yes. I want to know if you’ll…I
want to know if you’ll have a drink with
me. With me. Will you have a drink with
me?
TINA
You have a tongue tick.
JASON
Excuse me. Excuse me.
TINA
You have a tongue tick. You keep
repeating yourself. You keep repeating
yourself. It’s a tongue tick. You
should take care of it. It’s contagious.
It’ contagious.
JASON
So drinks. Tonight? Tonight?
TINA
23 West 76th. Apartment 41. Seven
O’Clock. Seven O’Clock. Don’t be late.
I don’t like late. I don’t like late.
JASON
I won’t be late. I won’t be late.
THE END.
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