Page 21 of Absorbed

“Sorry, man,” Chad said. “He’s pretty famous.”

“Has he been in any movies lately?”

“Duh!” Melissa rolled her eyes, doggy paddling. “Like three in the last year.”

“Okay…so, I’m theonlyperson who doesn’t know who this guy is?” Jessie said, gesturing with his hands. He asked Stacey, “Well, what does he look like?”

“Light brown hair, blue eyes,” Stacey said. “He’s young. Super-cute.”

“So he looks like me?”

“Ehhh…” Stacey teased. “Sort of. A paler, preppier version of you.”

“Oh my god…” Melissa exhaled behind Stacey.

Jessie nodded, pleased he’d gotten Stacey to admit what she thought of him. “Can you tell me if I’m right if I guess a few movies he’s in?”

“Booo.” Chad cupped his hand around his mouth. “Loser needs help.”

Stacey shrugged. “Sure.”

“Was he inDead Poets Society?”

“Uh uh.” Stacey shook her head.

“Hook?”

“Nope.”

“Admit defeat, Jess,” Tiffany chimed in. “Stacey’s a film genius.”

Jessie shook his head intently. “He wasn’t inA Few Good MenorFootloose,right?”

“Right,” Stacey said.

“Oh, wait, is he the guy who plays Robin inBatman?”

“Yes.”

“Geez… Okay. So, he’s in that with Val Kilmer. Hmmm…”

Bob started counting down the last five minutes and warned the crew not to stop moving. Everyone but Jessie and Stacey were basically floating in place, fluttering their hands in the water so Bob wouldn’t punish them further. Stacey’s whole body was aching. Still, she refused to give up or let her hands drop.

“So, Robin Williams was inHookwith Dustin Hoffman, who was inRain Manwith Tom Cruise, who was inTop Gunwith Val Kilmer, who was inBatmanwith Chris O’Conner.”

“O’Donnell. But what about Kevin Bacon?”

“Shit. Right. Tom Cruise was inA Few Good Menwith Kevin Bacon, so…”

“Uh huh…”

“But no Hoffman or Kilmer in that. Or Williams or O’Connell.”

Stacey laughed. “O’Donnell.”

“Can you do it?”

“Robin Williams was inHookwith Dustin Hoffman, who was inRain Manwith Tom Cruise, who was inA Few Good Menwith Kevin Bacon and Keifer Southerland, who was inThe Three Musketeerswith Chris O’Donnell. Four degrees.”

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