Short-Short TV Exercise

Evening Out?

“So…what are you watching?” Cassie asked out loud.

“Nothing”, Jason replied, “Just the same old reruns that come on at this time.”  He looked at the television wistfully, “Seems like they would put something on that was interesting, you know, like a good movie…instead of this,” and he pointed at the screen with the Laverne and Shirley dancing down the street to their theme song:

“…There is nothing we won't try,

Never heard the word impossible…

…Make all our dreams come true

For me and you.”

            “You know,” Cassie said as she walked and stood in front of the TV, “there are about a thousand other stations you could watch, but…I had a great idea for tonight.”  She waited for Jason to answer.  Instead he waved for her to move over.

            “I can’t see,” he sighed, “if you miss the first part of the story, you have no idea what is going on.”

            “Jason!” Cassie stomped her foot and then moved ever so slightly from the front of the TV screen, “listen to me, I…have…an…IDEA.”  She looked at him as she said it.

            No reply.  “Jason?” she now spoke with a slightly elevated voice that was beginning to show annoyance.

            “What?”  Jason shook his head as though he had to clear his brain from a deep slumber, “Commercial break…I’m all yours.  Did…did you say something about someone named Ida?”

            Cassie looked at Jason with an eye-rolling look. “You never pay attention to anything while the TV is on.  I said… I…as in me…had an IDEA…not anything about an Ida.  You’re impossible.”  She looked sad.

            “Okay…” Jason answered slowly with a questioning look, “So, what is this idea?”  He looked at the TV as the show returned and Laverne fell up some stairs.

             Cassie cast an unhappy look in his direction, “I wish you would try and listen to me as well as you listen to them.”  She gave a glance at the TV, a tear slowly forming in the corner.

             Shirley was getting ready to go out on a date with her boyfriend, Carmine.  Jason leaned ever so slightly to see around Cassie.

            “Now you’re trying to watch TV while I am talking to you?” Cassie looked indignant.

            Jason straightened up slowly as though yawning, “You have my full attention.”

            Cassie sniffed and continued, “I think a nice quiet dinner out tonight would be nice…do you have any suggestions?”

            Squiggy asked Carmine what language he was speaking on the TV and Carmine

            answered, “Italian.” Laughter.

            Jason, still looking at Cassie with one eye on the television, “…um…ah…”

            Cassie tapped her foot.  “Yes?”

            Jason looked at Carmine and then at Cassie, “Italian.”

            Cassie’s eyes opened in surprise and then she bent down and gave him a kiss. “I love it!  I’ll get dressed.”  She almost skipped out of the room, but then stopped and looked back, “I love you.”

He answered quickly, “Love you.” And she danced into the hallway and out of sight.

            Jason smiled and turned the television off.