Tune Ups 1-3, And So It Begins
December 24, 9pm. Eastern Standard Time
I, Mark Cohen, was outside of the building I lived in wit my best friend Roger. I
was trying to get some footage for the documentary I was filming. But I was currently
suffering from a filmmaker's version of writer's block.
From here on end I shoot without a script. See if anything comes of it. Instead of my
old shit.
Sighing, I went back into my bulding. It was time to go check on Roger.
First shot Roger, tuning the fender guitar he hasn't played in a year.
Apparently, I wasn't the only one hitting a creative dead end. Roger was trying to
write a song, with little success.
This won't tune. So we hear.
Roger was a recovering addict. Half a year ago he kicked the habit, but went
through some nasty withdrawal. He was still very sensitive about the subject. I muttered
this under my breath.
Are you talking to me? Not at all.
With a burst of insipiration I decided to film Roger.
Tell the folks at home what you're doing Roger.
"I'm writing one great song."
My filming was interrupted by the ringing of the phone.
We screen. Zoom in on the answering machine.
After avoiding talking to my mother, who was calling with Christmas greetings, I
began the filming again.
Tell the folks at home what you're doing Roger.
Same answer, same results. The phone rang again and we let the machine pick it
up.
"Chestnuts roasting"
It was our old friend Collins. He was back from MIT and downstairs. I threw him
the key. We would have fun tonight I began to think. But Collins thought he would be
detained. I didn't know what he ment. He hung up abruptly. Then the phone rang yet
again.This time I answered right away.
"What do you mean detained?"
But instead of Collins, it was our ex-roomate Benny on the phone this time.
"Ho Ho Ho."
Benny shit.
He mentioned that he was on the way and that he needed the rent.
"What rent?"
This past year's rent, which I let slide.
We thought this was absurd. He said we were golden and didn't have to pay rent
when he bought the building. Since we had been roomates and all. When we mentioned
all this he changed the subject to Maureen.
How is the Drama Queen?
Maureen was another friend of ours, and a performance artist. She had a
performance later that night. Well it was more like a protest, against Benny trying to
bulid a cyber studio in the lot she usually performed in.
Still her production manager?
This innocent little question hurt me. It was just two days ago I got bumped as her production manager in favor of a lawyer named Joanne.
You still dating her?
Jeez, this one hurt even more. Last month Maureen decided she was really a lesbian and dumped me for the same lawyer.
She's in love.
Apparently Roger felt the need to inform Benny of all of this. As if he didn't have
enough over us already.
Rent my amigos is due. Or I will have to evict you. Be there in a few.
And just like that, it was back to business as usual for him. He still needed the rent
money and we still didn't have it. Roger shrugged when we hung up on Benny, and went
back to trying to compose a wonderful song. Then out of nowhere…
The power blows.
I put my head in my hands. What else could happen tonight?