A Word About Love

A narrator becomes a character as she entangles herself in a conversation with her chosen character. Done during 2022 Story Xperiential Winter sessions.

Transcript

4. *gasps*
16. *tablet beeps*
22. -Uh, this one sounds interesting
23. -Mm, maybe not.
24. *sigh*
25. -Ugh, no
27. -All the genres?
28. -Should I?
29. -Of course!
31. -Uh, nice
32. -So, how does this work?
36. *gasps*
40. -Mmm
44. -Mm-hm
47. -Okay,
48. -I have a plan
49. -I have a plan
50. -I have a plan
51. -I have a plan
52. -Now let’s just begin
53. -It will be perfect.
54. -I’ll just give him...
55. -Oh, some of this...
56. -This, of course...
57. -A nice job, a girlfriend,
58. -The life of his dreams.
59. -A life of adventure...
60. -A life of adventure...
62. -A life worth experiencing.
63. -If only I could...
64. -Nop. Now, let’s just
65. -finish
66. -finish
73. *gasps*
84. -What?
85. -What?
86. -What?
87. -What?
88. -Ugh,
89. -did I mess up
90. -when I chose this boy?
91. -Ugh
92. *grunts*
104. -Huh?
106. -What the-?
123. -You...
126. *gasps*
127. -No... no, no, no
129. -His name is Norman,
130. -His name is Norman,
131. -and he doesn’t know yet
132. -and he doesn’t know yet
133. -but today
134. -is the first day of his wonderful life
135. ¨-He is this tall,
136. -He is this tall,
137. -nice,
138. -nice,
139. -and handsome boy
140. -aged twenty six,
141. -and he usually doesn’t mind
142. -whatever comes to him,
143. -but today he seems a bit moody.
144. -It would all change -what’s going on...?
145. -after a phone call.
146. -A phone call his poor mother had wished to make
147. -for a couple of days and he himself
148. -has missed a couple of times because of work.
149. -Sometimes he wonders if -who...?
150. -work is paying enough to miss calls, but
151. -nonetheless, that ring sounded heavenly
152. -for the poor kid missing his mom.
153. -Go on, answer.
154. *phone beeps*
155. -Hello?
156. -That was the words of an -Mom. Oh, hi, um...
157. -incredibly astonished son. -how-how are you?
158. -His private conversation -Um... can I call you back?
159. -should remain as such, *muffled voice*
160. -but the important part is that
161. -his new life would begin by visiting his mom.
162. -After all, Destiny awaits in the road to...
163. -HEY! -...road to...?
164. -YOU! -Huh?
165. -I don’t care about
166. -that whole thing of
167. -Destiny or whatever.
168. -Just leave me alone!
169. -Ugh, whatever. -I... I... I can’t just-
170. -Hey, wait! You can’t leave like that.
171. -I’m your narrator.
172. -I’m supposed to have a say in what you do.
173. -Don’t ignore me!
174. -You have to go to your mom’s.
175. -That’s where you will meet the love of your life!
176. -You’ll be in a car accident
177. -and she will be the first to help you out.
178. -The accident is a must to gain
179. -life and work balance.
180. -It’s for your own good!
181. -And what if I don’t feel
182. -like being in a car accident?
183. -Um...
184. -I already told you,
186. -LEAVE ME ALONE
187. -NOW.
188. -Get out of my house already
189. -but...
190. -I don’t care about your excuses,
191. -I’m really not interested
192. -about having someone
193. -control my life.
194. -Do you understand?
195. -But I just can’t... I... it’s my job.
196. -Well, then
197. -if you are a narrator,
198. -shouldn’t you be reporting what I do,
199. -and not telling me what to do?
200. -In your little world,
201. -I’m the character, the hero.
202. -I should be free to fight my fights. -Exactly
203. -Then give me my freedom!
204. -Even if I was in the mood,
205. -I have things to do,
206. -And none involve your meddling.
209. -Go on,
210. -leave.
212. -What are you doing?
213. -What does it look like?
214. -I... wait.
215. -All this time,
216. -you’ve been talking to me.
217. -Yeah? So?
218. -I had never... this is my first conversation
219. -What?
220. -Uh,
221. -yeah?
222. -Can you please stop looking at me?
223. -Wait a minute... can you see me?
224. -yes?
225. -But I don’t have a physical form,
226. -I’m a narrator,
227. -A simple voice in your ear--
228. -WHAT?
229. -WHAT IS THIS?
230. -This is me?
231. -It’s my face?
232. -What kind of weird trickery is this?
233. -And what in the words am I wearing?
234. -Wait a moment...
235. -OH NO, I SCREWED!
236. -Eighty seven years of the perfect record
237. -and in my first omniscient assignemt I ruin everything
238. -I was supposed to help you out,
239. -give you the life you dreamt.
240. -I had everything ready,
241. -that job you tried getting last year,
242. -a masters degree in Manchester
243. -reconnecting with your childhood friends...
244. -I even got you a dog!
246. -Can you stop the pity party?
247. -I admit I have let my schedule run the show,
248. -and yes, it’s been a while since I stopped
249. -pursuing my dreams.
250. -Maybe I did need some help to regain my vision,
251. -but all you had to do was tell me.
252. -No, I get you.
253. -I used to be like you before this opportunity.
254. -I was so proud of making a difference,
255. -but now I’m powerless. How will I help you?
256. -I think you just did.
257. -And you know,
258. -you just became a character.
259. -Maybe now you can actually experience some
260. -of those eighty seven years of stories you’d told.
261. -But we’ll write our own stories now.
262. -Or not.
263. -We’re free to live however we choose.
264. -So we’ll help us together?
265. -Sure. But get out of my house now.