Page 7 of Love & Other Disasters

“Fashion,” she said, again false, she cared nothing about fashion. But hoped it wouldn’t interest him and he’d stop asking. And besides Katia, her alter ego, a retired model would now work in fashion.

“Nice,” he said.

“What brings you to town?” Elle asked J.P., jumping in before Violet could slide any further down the rabbit hole. Was it obvious that she didn’t ask him questions? Maybe if Katia came across as self-centered, then he’d lose interest.

“Job interview.”

“Oh, where?” Elle asked.

“They asked me to keep this under wraps, it’s part of a restructuring that’s not public knowledge right now. I had to sign a confidentiality agreement and everything.”

“How covert operations of you,” Violet quipped. “FBI, CIA?”

“Ooh, KGB?” Elle added.

J.P. laughed. “Nothing that glamourous, I assure you,” he said in a fake Russian accent.

“I don’t know,” Violet replied using her bad Russian accent. “Maybe, you switched sides to the Americans?”

“No, my allegiances are unwavering,” he continued.

Violet turned facing him. “I don’t know, you are suspicious.”

“I shall prove my loyalty.”

“Oh my god,” Elle said. “This is like one of your horrid college plays.”

“Hey,” she replied, breaking character. “You said you liked those.”

Elle rolled her eyes.

“What plays were you in?” Frat Guy asked.

“The Glass Menagerie and Star Spangled Girl were my last two, but there were others.” Star Spangled Girl was for the community theatre after she graduated. But after that, she’d become consumed with her first real job and didn’t have time for hobbies. And didn’t have the talent to pursue theatre as a career.

“I love Neil Simon,” he said. “I acted in Rumors in college.

“You were in theatre?” her mouth dropped.

“I’ve been in And Then There Were None and Our Town.”

Violet stared, she couldn’t help it. When did he have time for the fraternity, swim team, debate club, theatre, classes, and studying? “I was also in Lost in Yonkers, I love Neil Simon.”

“Me too, I almost got a lead in Biloxi Blues, but ended up in the background.” He finished his drink.

“Did you know that one was semi-autobiographical?”

His facial expression read, “No duh.” And they both laughed.

“Not to interrupt this dork fest,” Elle interjected. “But, I’m getting a headache.”

“If talking Neil Simon plays is a ‘dork fest’, then it’d be fun,” Violet said.

“Just talking or reading and acting?” J.P. asked.

“All of the above,” she said. “Like a workshop.”

“Oh hell yeah,” J.P. said.

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