NOT KEEPING SCORE

[Shannon dials A Friend’s number, who answers after 5 rings.]

Shannon [enthusiastically:] Happy Halloween!

A Friend: Um, yeah.

Shannon: I’ve made it through Israeli security, recovered from Dengue Fever, and am trudging through Jet Lag Supreme, but I’m BACK!

A Friend: …You were gone?

Shannon: Funny.

A Friend: No seriously, you took off somewhere? Were you on a trip?

Shannon: I went through Israel and Vietnam. [pause] I was gone for almost three months.

A Friend: Oh. [pause.] That went by fast. I didn’t even really noti–

Shannon: Okay, okay.

A Friend: Soooo, what’s up?

Shannon: Gonna celebrate Halloween. Oh! And perform some poetry.

A Friend: Now that is scary.

Shannon: I have another poetry reading!

A Friend: You had a first one?

Shannon [enunciating:] I’m reading at Word Temple on FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 9th at 7pm.

A Friend: I’ll be sure to miss it.

Shannon: I thought you liked poetry?!

A Friend: No.

Shannon: I thought you liked me.

A Friend: A little.

Shannon: [rolls eyes; softly:] …I missed you, too.

A Friend: Are we done here? CSI is on.