THE SCHEME

So we all go out to see a movie at the Park Theater, and the scheming begins

One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest, is playing tonight, and we’re all chatty and boisterous. All anxious to see it, as we frolic over to the theater. Kyla, as usual, looks so angelically cute that I can’t restrain myself from constantly glancing over at her, even though she’s holding hands with Chris (Skinny). When we all stampede into the Park, we take up a whole row, and I cleverly position myself so that I get a seat next to Kyla. Again fully realizing that she will be sitting with Skinny. But that red wine buzz is really kicking in now.
Next, my own movie appears, running through the private screen of my mind. In this movie the scenes are just as vivid and colorful, as I view myself sneaking back to Kyla’s house after Skinny drops her off and leaves. When it’s all clear, I move stealthily over to her window.
“Kyla…Kyla” I whisper loudly.
She pulls open her curtain and opens her window.
“Joey? What are you doing out there?” She whispers.
“I wanna talk to you.”
“Now?! About what?”
“Come on out.”
“I can’t - it’s too late”
“C’mon, I got something I want to show you.”
“What?”
“Just come out, ok? Please …” I coax.
She smiles, closes the window, and a minute later she appears outside, a dark navy blue parka over her night gown. Vapor is streaming into the frigid night air, as she breathes.
“What do you want to show me?”
I reach into my pocket and pull out the spliff.
“Marijuana? Joey, you know I don’t do that!”
“Shhh” I whisper.
“Don’t worry, it’s alright - just try one drag, ok? I promise nothing bad is gonna happen.”
I spark up, take a hit, and after much hesitation on her part, I finally convince her to try. I am so enjoying this, my own movie.
In the theater, in reality, Kyla laughs out loud at a funny scene in the actual movie, turning over to glance at me. I catch her eye, smile, and try to hold her glance for a while. A warm confidence floods over me, and I return to my movie…she takes a hit from my jay, then another, and passes it back to me. Anticipation, desire building in me, I take her hand. I relax more into my seat, dreamy smile occupying my face. A soothing sense of peace and innocence washing over my insides. I don’t know exactly how long this feeling continues, until I’m startled out of my tranquillity -
“Oh no! Oh no!” cries and gasps from the audience resound throughout the theatre. My eyes quickly readjust to the big screen in front of me.
Billy Bibbit, the young stutterer, has just killed himself. Cut his wrists. Blood running everywhere.
McMurphy (Jack Nicholson) is stunned. Then he just goes mental, choking the hell out of the Big Nurse who’s the cause of all this. Nurse Ratchet.
I turn over to Kyla, tears flood down her cheeks. Sobbing, burying her head deep into Chris’s sweater. He holds her, comforting her, caressing her gently, and gives her a little kiss, while whispering into her ear. Their hands clench, interlocking tightly. The emptiness inside me rumbles back like a bowling ball. My fantasy ebbs, flickers…extinguishes