1. DRIVE
Eddie: We’re bored, aren’t we?
John: You’re telling me? I was dozing off, and you call me out for a drive… And here we are, staring at automobile butts for an hour. If this is your idea of entertainment, I don’t know what gets you bored…
Eddie: What would you rather do?
John: I don’t know… A concert… A burger, perhaps… Anything but this.
Eddie: Are there any concerts coming up?
John: No
Eddie: Is there a burger joint we haven’t frequented in the last year?
John: No
Eddie: Then what else is there to do?
John: You have a point.
Eddie: Besides, this is what we get up to everyday. Why do you stress on a change today, for some reason?
John: I’m just so damn bored, dude… This life is so meaningless…
Eddie: It’s boredom, plain and simple. You feel life is meaningless now because of boredom. If meaninglessness were truly the case, you wouldn’t be getting married in a week. I, on the other hand, believe in the premise of life being meaningless, because it’s true. This short, biological existence does not mean anything in a larger scheme of things. Then, when we figure out there’s no larger scheme of things to begin with life is utterly inconsequential. Just a temporary phase of useless, permutable interpretations and fake happiness.
John: True
Eddie: You’re agreeing with me? Why are you getting married, then?
John: I honestly have no idea.
Eddie: I’m sure there must have been people giving you tons of reasons for it.
John: Sure… They’ve been going on about some responsibility-thing that changes people. I’m sure that’s bogus, but I can’t think of an argument against it at the moment…
Eddie: I’ve heard that too. These people are under the impression that if you’re suddenly faced with responsibility, you change. Marriage does present more responsibilities for anyone to face, and on overcoming something new, you may gain some perspective on certain things you previously hadn't thought of. You gain a few perspectives, to add to the ones you have now, that’s it. It’s beyond me how this process would change anyone’s character. A person’s character remains the same, and responsibilities, perhaps, showcase how a person possessing that particular character would handle those responsibilities. Personal Character and Responsibilities are mutually exclusive. Probably the work of societal dogma, over the years. Somehow, the institution of marriage has flaws even in principle, but no one recognizes them…
John: Could we get a burger now?
Eddie: All right. Let’s clear this highway, there’s a place right after it.
John: Highways suck, dude…
Eddie: Why do you think that?
John: I hate the same sight anywhere you look, irrespective of where you’re looking. Like if you’re on any other craft used for transport, you see genuine sights. Hills, Lakes, Fields, People… whatever… I think Highways are restrictive to sights that way. In a slightly-played-off sense, you don’t even get to see animated people - all you see are cars and cars and cars. Now, if you aren’t on highways, there’s plenty to look at. If there’s nothing else, you get to see something other than cars and streetlights everywhere around.
Eddie: Well…
John: And, yeah, you were right about the Nihilism thing. Life being meaningless.
Eddie: Uh?
John: I got a call from Eve in the morning…
Eddie: So... life is meaningless... because she called you?
John: Do you want to hear this or not, mate?
Eddie: Well?
John: Well… we were talking about the guest list. Or so, I thought. A minute into the conversation, she says she’s en route to being a mom.
Eddie: Hmm…. Wait… What???
John: Interesting. I used the same set of stunned phrases.
Eddie: Again… What??
John: Well… in short, she wants to keep the kid. And she asked me if I was ok with it…
Eddie: You asked her to abort it, surely…
John: No
Eddie: Really??
John: I said I was fine with it.
Eddie: Dude, you sure about this?
John: Why should I be sure? It’s her kid, she has every right to keep it. I, on the other hand, have every right to not get married to her… She never asked me anything on that…
Eddie: Oh
John: However, you convinced me of something I’ve thought of, so many times…
Eddie: Which is…
John: … that Life is meaningless. So, it’s fairly obvious that, in spite of an occurrence such as this... just means I have to move on. No big deal.
Eddie: Good for you, mate… Hey, close the door, you fuck, we’re in the middle of a highway…
John: However, since Life is meaningless, Death is irrelevant, isn’t it?
Eddie: What? Close the door…. WHA………………………………................ Oh fuck, Oh fuck, oh fuck, fuck…………………….
Driving onlookers watched as a man, jumped playfully onto the highway from a moving car onto the path of other moving cars. The sudden jerk he experienced when he jumped from a moving car to sudden airborne movement, caused him to undergo a certain amount of friction, landing him headfirst onto the road, cracking his skull in the process and bouncing him like a rabid doll. After the first bounce, he was literally upright in mid-air for a second, until he was run over by an SUV which crushed his back and spine on direct impact.
2. DINNER FOR THREE
Waiter: Will that be all, Sir?
Robert: No, a bottle of RUINART Chardonnay too…
Waiter: Certainly, Sir… Immediately, or with the food, Sir?
Robert: Before the food’s served…
Waiter: Yes, Sir.
Eve: Must we order wine?
Robert: Dude, you’re getting married in a week. And this may be the last time I see you, ever. I think it’s the perfect time…
Eve: All right, I’m just having a glass…
After the wine arrives, and once a fair amount of it's drunk…
Robert: … fine. So, yeah, how are the preparations so far?
Eve: I have a wedding planner.
Robert: Don’t you look into the details yourself?
Eve: John takes care of that… I couldn’t imagine selecting the flowers, the cutlery, the caterers, the photographers and film crew, the budget, the venues, the beauticians, the hotels and parishes, and who the fuck’s turning up for the event.
Robert: You’re odd for a girl…
Eve: You would know, wouldn’t you…
Robert: Sure, quite a bit…
Eve (with a smile): You f….
Robert: Language… We’re in a French Restaurant.
Eve: Serves us well, I think… I imagine they have no idea what we’re talking about…
Robert: Oh yeah, because we ordered in French, didn’t we?
Eve: No, we didn't. We ordered in English... We... oh... You’re still pretty sharp to point out ironies, aren’t you?
Robert: I never was, you were dumber than most people, that’s all…
Waiter: Madam, your Blanquette de veau, and your Steak frites, Sir… Bon Appétit…
Eve: Robert?
Robert: What?
Eve: Do you remember the holiday in Scotland?
Robert: The one near Belhaven Bay?
Eve: Yeah…
Robert: Yeah, what about it?
Eve: Wasn’t that just magical?
Robert: I’m of the opinion that this steak is way more impressive than that holiday…
Eve: Why don’t you get married?
Robert: It’s a personal hassle…
Eve: You’d make a great father; at times, you have the right amount of patience to explain things to others. Just transfer the same attention to your kids.
Robert: I’d rather learn things on my own instead of teaching stuff to kids. There's so much to learn...
Eve: What does that have to do with marriage?
Robert: Everything.
Eve: Really descriptive answer, I swear…
Robert: You’re picking up on sarcasm, good for you… Still a very dim, flickering light bulb, I presume...
Eve: And that was some cynicism to countermand the sarcasm, now, was it?
Robert: My word, you’re learning fast, aren’t you? I suppose this engagement did you a world of good…
Eve: It’s ironic how I had the best and worst times of my life with you…
Robert: I think it’s ironic we stayed together for 3 years, in spite of all that.
Eve: That too…
Robert: You feeling all right? You haven’t touched your food… which is fine by me, I’ll finish it…
Eve: I’m pregnant…
Robert: Ah… No wonder you barely touched the wine… Congratulations. For some reason, I respect John now. I thought the wimp was better at fetching your shopping bags…
Eve: It’s your kid…
Robert looks up at her incredulously, and then attempts to swallow a large uncut piece of steak. He chokes, and dies in front of Eve, in the apparent process of imitating a python.
**************************************************
Epilogue
After subjecting herself to the trauma of watching her ex-boyfriend choking himself to death, Eve returned home to be informed of the death of her fiancé on a highway, along with all the sordid details, because she, ill-advisedly, thought of asking the question “How did it happen” to a plain-clothed policeman, who thought he wasn’t doing his duty well enough, if he hadn’t divulged the most intimate details of the accident to her.
A week of hysterical weeping and drug abuse later, Eve decided to be exactly what she was transformed into, almost instantaneously, by default - a single mother. “True independence comes at a price”, she thought. Eventually, figuring out that Real Freedom, such as her condition was, was fantastic. People are, very often, so damn boring. It opened new horizons of thought and action she never thought she would be able to comprehend or undertake. “The only state of bliss we’re entitled to be in”, she reasoned, "is the sense of accomplishment if we manage to run our lives, by ourselves, for ourselves”. A rare blend of a driven-state of mind and Contentment.
END
Eddie: We’re bored, aren’t we?
John: You’re telling me? I was dozing off, and you call me out for a drive… And here we are, staring at automobile butts for an hour. If this is your idea of entertainment, I don’t know what gets you bored…
Eddie: What would you rather do?
John: I don’t know… A concert… A burger, perhaps… Anything but this.
Eddie: Are there any concerts coming up?
John: No
Eddie: Is there a burger joint we haven’t frequented in the last year?
John: No
Eddie: Then what else is there to do?
John: You have a point.
Eddie: Besides, this is what we get up to everyday. Why do you stress on a change today, for some reason?
John: I’m just so damn bored, dude… This life is so meaningless…
Eddie: It’s boredom, plain and simple. You feel life is meaningless now because of boredom. If meaninglessness were truly the case, you wouldn’t be getting married in a week. I, on the other hand, believe in the premise of life being meaningless, because it’s true. This short, biological existence does not mean anything in a larger scheme of things. Then, when we figure out there’s no larger scheme of things to begin with life is utterly inconsequential. Just a temporary phase of useless, permutable interpretations and fake happiness.
John: True
Eddie: You’re agreeing with me? Why are you getting married, then?
John: I honestly have no idea.
Eddie: I’m sure there must have been people giving you tons of reasons for it.
John: Sure… They’ve been going on about some responsibility-thing that changes people. I’m sure that’s bogus, but I can’t think of an argument against it at the moment…
Eddie: I’ve heard that too. These people are under the impression that if you’re suddenly faced with responsibility, you change. Marriage does present more responsibilities for anyone to face, and on overcoming something new, you may gain some perspective on certain things you previously hadn't thought of. You gain a few perspectives, to add to the ones you have now, that’s it. It’s beyond me how this process would change anyone’s character. A person’s character remains the same, and responsibilities, perhaps, showcase how a person possessing that particular character would handle those responsibilities. Personal Character and Responsibilities are mutually exclusive. Probably the work of societal dogma, over the years. Somehow, the institution of marriage has flaws even in principle, but no one recognizes them…
John: Could we get a burger now?
Eddie: All right. Let’s clear this highway, there’s a place right after it.
John: Highways suck, dude…
Eddie: Why do you think that?
John: I hate the same sight anywhere you look, irrespective of where you’re looking. Like if you’re on any other craft used for transport, you see genuine sights. Hills, Lakes, Fields, People… whatever… I think Highways are restrictive to sights that way. In a slightly-played-off sense, you don’t even get to see animated people - all you see are cars and cars and cars. Now, if you aren’t on highways, there’s plenty to look at. If there’s nothing else, you get to see something other than cars and streetlights everywhere around.
Eddie: Well…
John: And, yeah, you were right about the Nihilism thing. Life being meaningless.
Eddie: Uh?
John: I got a call from Eve in the morning…
Eddie: So... life is meaningless... because she called you?
John: Do you want to hear this or not, mate?
Eddie: Well?
John: Well… we were talking about the guest list. Or so, I thought. A minute into the conversation, she says she’s en route to being a mom.
Eddie: Hmm…. Wait… What???
John: Interesting. I used the same set of stunned phrases.
Eddie: Again… What??
John: Well… in short, she wants to keep the kid. And she asked me if I was ok with it…
Eddie: You asked her to abort it, surely…
John: No
Eddie: Really??
John: I said I was fine with it.
Eddie: Dude, you sure about this?
John: Why should I be sure? It’s her kid, she has every right to keep it. I, on the other hand, have every right to not get married to her… She never asked me anything on that…
Eddie: Oh
John: However, you convinced me of something I’ve thought of, so many times…
Eddie: Which is…
John: … that Life is meaningless. So, it’s fairly obvious that, in spite of an occurrence such as this... just means I have to move on. No big deal.
Eddie: Good for you, mate… Hey, close the door, you fuck, we’re in the middle of a highway…
John: However, since Life is meaningless, Death is irrelevant, isn’t it?
Eddie: What? Close the door…. WHA………………………………................ Oh fuck, Oh fuck, oh fuck, fuck…………………….
Driving onlookers watched as a man, jumped playfully onto the highway from a moving car onto the path of other moving cars. The sudden jerk he experienced when he jumped from a moving car to sudden airborne movement, caused him to undergo a certain amount of friction, landing him headfirst onto the road, cracking his skull in the process and bouncing him like a rabid doll. After the first bounce, he was literally upright in mid-air for a second, until he was run over by an SUV which crushed his back and spine on direct impact.
2. DINNER FOR THREE
Waiter: Will that be all, Sir?
Robert: No, a bottle of RUINART Chardonnay too…
Waiter: Certainly, Sir… Immediately, or with the food, Sir?
Robert: Before the food’s served…
Waiter: Yes, Sir.
Eve: Must we order wine?
Robert: Dude, you’re getting married in a week. And this may be the last time I see you, ever. I think it’s the perfect time…
Eve: All right, I’m just having a glass…
After the wine arrives, and once a fair amount of it's drunk…
Robert: … fine. So, yeah, how are the preparations so far?
Eve: I have a wedding planner.
Robert: Don’t you look into the details yourself?
Eve: John takes care of that… I couldn’t imagine selecting the flowers, the cutlery, the caterers, the photographers and film crew, the budget, the venues, the beauticians, the hotels and parishes, and who the fuck’s turning up for the event.
Robert: You’re odd for a girl…
Eve: You would know, wouldn’t you…
Robert: Sure, quite a bit…
Eve (with a smile): You f….
Robert: Language… We’re in a French Restaurant.
Eve: Serves us well, I think… I imagine they have no idea what we’re talking about…
Robert: Oh yeah, because we ordered in French, didn’t we?
Eve: No, we didn't. We ordered in English... We... oh... You’re still pretty sharp to point out ironies, aren’t you?
Robert: I never was, you were dumber than most people, that’s all…
Waiter: Madam, your Blanquette de veau, and your Steak frites, Sir… Bon Appétit…
Eve: Robert?
Robert: What?
Eve: Do you remember the holiday in Scotland?
Robert: The one near Belhaven Bay?
Eve: Yeah…
Robert: Yeah, what about it?
Eve: Wasn’t that just magical?
Robert: I’m of the opinion that this steak is way more impressive than that holiday…
Eve: Why don’t you get married?
Robert: It’s a personal hassle…
Eve: You’d make a great father; at times, you have the right amount of patience to explain things to others. Just transfer the same attention to your kids.
Robert: I’d rather learn things on my own instead of teaching stuff to kids. There's so much to learn...
Eve: What does that have to do with marriage?
Robert: Everything.
Eve: Really descriptive answer, I swear…
Robert: You’re picking up on sarcasm, good for you… Still a very dim, flickering light bulb, I presume...
Eve: And that was some cynicism to countermand the sarcasm, now, was it?
Robert: My word, you’re learning fast, aren’t you? I suppose this engagement did you a world of good…
Eve: It’s ironic how I had the best and worst times of my life with you…
Robert: I think it’s ironic we stayed together for 3 years, in spite of all that.
Eve: That too…
Robert: You feeling all right? You haven’t touched your food… which is fine by me, I’ll finish it…
Eve: I’m pregnant…
Robert: Ah… No wonder you barely touched the wine… Congratulations. For some reason, I respect John now. I thought the wimp was better at fetching your shopping bags…
Eve: It’s your kid…
Robert looks up at her incredulously, and then attempts to swallow a large uncut piece of steak. He chokes, and dies in front of Eve, in the apparent process of imitating a python.
**************************************************
Epilogue
After subjecting herself to the trauma of watching her ex-boyfriend choking himself to death, Eve returned home to be informed of the death of her fiancé on a highway, along with all the sordid details, because she, ill-advisedly, thought of asking the question “How did it happen” to a plain-clothed policeman, who thought he wasn’t doing his duty well enough, if he hadn’t divulged the most intimate details of the accident to her.
A week of hysterical weeping and drug abuse later, Eve decided to be exactly what she was transformed into, almost instantaneously, by default - a single mother. “True independence comes at a price”, she thought. Eventually, figuring out that Real Freedom, such as her condition was, was fantastic. People are, very often, so damn boring. It opened new horizons of thought and action she never thought she would be able to comprehend or undertake. “The only state of bliss we’re entitled to be in”, she reasoned, "is the sense of accomplishment if we manage to run our lives, by ourselves, for ourselves”. A rare blend of a driven-state of mind and Contentment.
END
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