Friday, December 05, 2008

Chatting Near The Film Set



One of my fellow interns and I were walking past a film set on our way to our internship when she decided to stop and light a cigarette. On the third try she managed to win the battle she’d been waging against the wind and got her cigarette lit. She was one happy intern.


One of the guys from the film set walked over and stood next to me as the intern took her first drag. She looked up at him appreciating the view. I was concentrating on the film set and thinking of my friend Tanya she would so love this. He stuck his hands in the pockets of his wool pea coat and rocked back and forth on his heels shooting me a sideways glance before addressing me. I dragged my eyes away from the crew setting up and briefly glanced up at him.

-“You know what she was thinking when she lit up.”

--“What?” I asked

- “You know what she was thinking when she lit up.”

--“No, I mean what was she thinking?”

-“You know… that it’s bad for you.”

--“What’s bad?”

-“She was thinking that cigarette was bad for her but she wanted it anyway.”

--“Oh.”

The intern looked at him as if she were a puff away from blowing smoke in his face and telling his to go screw himself. You know smokers can get pretty snippy when someone criticizes their nicotine habit. I feel the same way about my addiction to pizza.

--“I think the very same thing every time I have a drink in my hand.”

He laughed.

-“You’re funny.”

--“Thanks.”

He looked down at me and smiled. He had a great smile it was warm and inviting. He stared into my eyes for a brief second then his attention was drawn to the bottle of orange juice I was sipping from. He tilted his head at me and arched an eyebrow asking me the silent question.

--“No, no there’s no liquor in my juice.

He laughed again and stepped closer and teased me with a mischievous gleam in his eyes.

-“Uh huh sure that's what they all say.”

I laughed and held my hand up as if swearing on a bible

--“This is strictly orange juice I swear!”

---“That’d be really messed up you showing up to work drunk.”, said the intern

-“You work around here?”

I nodded my head as I took another sip of juice, while the intern replied.

---“We intern at the mental health clinic down the block.”

-“What do you do?”

---“She interns in the substance abuse program and I intern at the adolescent clinic.”

he smiled and jerked his head my way

-“Oh then it would definitely be messed up if she showed up drunk.”

--“Ya think, especially this early in the crusty morning?”

-“What do you do there?”

---“I do intakes and process reports.” said the intern taking a pull on her cigarette.

-“I’m a therapist slash social worker for mentally ill substance abusers.”

-“Wow, that’s impressive.”

-“Thanks.”

-“I was locked up for distributing heroin.”

The intern’s eyes opened wide and her mouth formed a perfect circle in surprised. I looked up at him and smiled.

--“Now there’s an interesting career choice. How were the benefits and did it come with a dental plan?” I asked.

I guess my response wasn’t what he was used to hearing. I caught him by surprise he covered his eyes with his free hand as he laughed.

-“God you really are funny. That doesn’t bother you?”

--“Being thought as funny? No, not all all.”

-“That’s not what I meant.”

--“I know what you meant. Na, why should it bother me? What’s important is that you don’t let it bother you. What matters is what you’re doing with your life now. Don’t ever let the embarrassments of the past negatively affect your present.”

-“That’s good.”

I shrugged my shoulders

--“Feel free to print it out on a t-shirt.”

-“I used to smoke weed, never used heroin though.”

--“Good, that stuff is bad for you.”

-“Weed?” he joked

I snorted, “Yeah, weed.”

-“ I stopped smoking after passing out one day.”

--“Yeah all it takes is one bad trip to put you off. I used to smoke too I was a social toker.”

-“Really?”

--“Yeah but like I said all it takes is one bad experience to make you quit.”

-“Are you really a therapist?”

--“Yup”

-“I can see it, you’re easy to talk to.”

--“It’s what I do man.”

He laughed again, “I haven’t laughed this much in awhile.”

--“You’re living all wrong then. You should laugh at least 3 times during a conversation. It’s good for your heart.” I said.

Taking my advice to heart he laughed again and then pointed towards the film set. The intern looked towards the set and tossed her cigarette butt on the sidewalk grinding it into the asphalt with the heel of her boot.

-“I work here; I’m a production assistant on this set.”

---“What are you guys filming?” the intern asked.

-“Law and Order: SVU.”

--“I love that show.”

-“You do?

--“I love the whole Law and Order franchise.”

-“You want to laugh?”

--“Of course, are you going to juggle cameras for us?”

He laughed again and shook his head shooting a glance at the intern.

-“Is she always like this?”

the intern nodded her head and smiled.

---“Always!”

-“Nice”

--“So how were you going to make us laugh?”

-“I’ve never seen the show.”

Once again the look of surprise planted itself on the intern’s face this time my face mirrored hers.

--“You’re kidding me right?”

-“No I swear. All the guys on the set tease me about it.”

I was curious as to how he’d made it from heroin dealer to working as a production assistant on a show he’d never seen. My friend Tanya had majored in film at college and as of yet hadn’t been able to get her foot inside of the business. I wanted to hear his story and hopefully pick up some tips for Tanya but then the intern announced that it was time for us to leave otherwise we’d be late. She’d finished her cigarette and was thoroughly saturated with enough nicotine to hold her until well after lunch.

-“I should get back to work too.”

He pointed to the crew busy setting up equipment.

-“Hey it was really nice talking to you maybe I’ll see you again later?

--“Maybe, we have to walk back this way on our way home.”

-“We’re going to be filming here for 14 hours today.”

We said our goodbyes and headed off in opposite directions. The intern and I were at the corner about to cross the street when we heard him calling from the edge of the film set.

-“Hey funny girl,” he said pointing at me, “hey….what’s your name?

--“Me?”

He laughed and nodded his head

-“Yeah you, what’s your name funny girl?”

--“Mia”

He stared at me for a second as if he were tasting my name and deciding if he liked the taste of it or not.

-“Nice... Mia…Mia, my name’s Casey,

I smiled at him and waved

--“Hey there, Casey!”

He laughed and waved back

-“Hey there Mia, it was really great meeting you, see you later?

I shrugged my shoulders.

-“I’ll be here until 10:30 tonight. I really hope I get to see you again Mia.”

Labels: new york

Posted by @ 2:19 PM
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