my agent calls me

my agent calls me early
sunday morning. i'm shocked.

hello, I say, puzzlement
in my voice.

it's me, Jeremy, he says.
your agent.

yes? this is a surprise, I
tell him.

I read your script he says.
I was up all
night going through it
line by line.

as usual, well written.
the characters are well fleshed
out.

I like the plot, the story.
it all rings true, but...

but what I say, sitting down.
the dog comes over and licks my hand.

he wants to go out and looks
longingly at the front door.

well, he says. you need more
sex and violence.
there's not enough chills and thrills
in it.

but, it's a story about two
people that fall in love
and the woman gets sick
with an incurable rare disease she got
while feeding peasants
in India.

yeah, yeah. but that's old.
we've all heard that story.
remember Love Story, Ali Macgraw
and what's his name.

schlock.

what about a car chase, or an
ambulance scene with sirens
and all that. getting the girl
to the hospital
before it's too late. the cure
is being flown in on a chopper
in bad weather.

maybe the guy's a cop
instead of a poet, a hard boiled
guy who lost
his job because of drinking,
and cheating on his wife with some
hottie who became his partner.
maybe he still carries a gun
because the mob is after him.

are you still there?
we could do this 3 D thing...

yeah, i'm listening. Keep talking.
I put
the phone down and grab the dog's
leash.

it's walk time.