Authors Notes: I wrote this at ten o'clock at night, many months ago. I'm not sure where the inspiration came from, it just sort of…came. Then again, is a rather clichéd plot, I suppose. Not that there is a plot.
Disclaimer: I only own my CD's, DVD, and assorted other RENT items, my friends. Everything else is property of the fabulous Jonathan Larson.
For Them
"Why do you film, Mark?" His mother asked, sounding disappointed even as she said it. She had never approved of Mark's career choice, telling him there was no real future in film making. "Your sister Cindy is a teacher; she's helping people expand their educational horizons. But you just film dirty bums on the side of the road – speaking of which, do you wash your hands after being with them? – and your friends goofing off. Why?"
"Why?" Mark repeated dumbly into the phone. "Well, for starters, I film for Benny. He's so busy with Muf – er, Alison – and Cyber-arts that he misses things. Things he might want to see." He explained, though he knew his mother didn't understand.
"And I film for Joanne, who takes like so seriously that she misses the good, fun times in life. She spends her time on cases and fights, when she should be spending it making the good times last."
"You film for your ex-girlfriends lesbian lover?" His mother asked doubtfully. Mark sighed.
"She's my friend, too, mom," He said defensively. "And I film for Maureen, who moves so quickly through life that she misses out on the little things."
"What little things?"
"Things like… like Roger writing a new song, she wasn't here for that. The point is, Maureen doesn't slow down enough in life, so I film for her." Mark grabbed a half-eaten sandwich from God-knows-when out of the fridge while he talked, taking a bite then spitting out in disgust. "And I film for Mimi, who isn't around to keep an eye on Roger anymore, or any of us. She doesn't get to see any of it, so I've got to film it for her sake."
"Oh yes, she was Roger's girlfriend," His mother recalled. "He certainly is a magnet for the ones that die, isn't he?"
"Mom!" Mark shouted, shocked his mother would say such a thing.
"Oh relax, sweetie, I was joking," She said with a laugh. "Go on with your ramblings."
"Right. And I film for Angel, who was so full of love, life, and warmth even when she was on her death bed. She's not here anymore either, and she's missing all of this. I've got to do this for her."
"Angel was the boy who wore skirts, right? The transvestite drag queen?"
"Mom! … And yes." Mark rolled his eyes. "And I film for Collins, who's getting sicker… Collins misses more and more as he gets worse. So I have to capture every minute for him. He's doing real badly, mom."
"I'm sorry to hear that, sweetie. Now, wait… Collins is the teacher who ran naked all over to make a point, right?"
"Mom!"
"Oh, don't yell at your mother, Mark. Go on with your silly story."
"You know mom, there's a reason I pretend I'm not here when you call," Mark said with a frustrated sigh.
"Now you're just being fresh." She chastised. "Don't be."
"Anyway, I film for Roger. Since Mimi died, he's been more focused on his music than anything, which makes it harder to get him to go out. He misses the stuff that goes on at The Life Café, and he misses the other things, too. So I do it for him. And I film for me." Mark finished. "Because that's all I know." There was silence on the phone for a few minutes, then a sigh from his mother.
"Your sister Cindy is a teacher, Mark, a valuable member of society. Would it kill you to get a paying job?"
Finito