"Tom's Follies".
"The Cotton Queen".
It's a jukebox. According to Stan, it's an original -- almost two-hundred years old. I dunno, it looks like a replica to me. A good replica, but still...
It's a jukebox.
My boss, Stan. A hard man with a soft...nah, he's just a callous bastard.
Uh... I knew that!
My boss, Stan.
That's my-- well, Emma's friend, really. Marcus. He's a VAVA student as well.
Marcus.
When she's not working, or out on a date, Emma's always hanging out here. Just like me, really. Just like all of us.
My best friend Emma.
A lot of great bands have done live sets on this stage. A lot of great bands started their careers on this stage.
Fresh bread. I love the food in this place. We have a great kitchen.
Fresh bread.
I'm all scrubbed and ready to work, sir.
I'll take one, in case I get hungry later on.
It took some convincing, but Stan finally agreed to put the jukebox on free play. I'll just choose a track at random...
What you doing here?
It's nice to see you too, Stanley. No, I'm not working today, I just came by to--
Oh, don't ever say those two words when I'm around. I don't think my ulcer can take it.
"You" and "nice"?
That's funny. No, "working" and "not". Don't use those two words in the same sentence.
Yeah, yeah, what do you want now?
You ain't working this afternoon, are you? I don't want my employees work twenty-four hours a day. Go, get sleep!
I--
Damn, woman! Do I have to babysit you?
But I'm just--
Damn, I get creeps even when I say them.
I'd like to get paid.
Damn, woman, don't you know I got a migraine already? "Paid". God dammit, why they have to make that word sound so...obscene.
Listen, about my pay...
Lord almighty, everybody wants money from old Stan. But who signs his paychecks? Hmm? No-God-damn-body, that's who.
Listen, about my pay...
Again? You sure you got your timesheet this time, honey?
I thought you'd be ecstatic to have people work twenty-four hour shifts.
Oh, don't get me wrong, sweetheart. There's nothing I'd want more. But, you see, for some weird reason it is illegal to make people work that long.
Nah, I don't think you would. I think you're a real angel at heart, Stanley. You're just afraid people will find out.
Yeah, yeah, I'm a real God damn sweetheart. Go on, take advantage of my kindness while I'm still outta my head.
Listen. Why don't you leave old Stan alone, huh? It make me feel a whole hell of a lot better. Shoo, shoo, be good little girl, hmm?
God damn labor laws. All right, you got your timesheet, honey?
You run the place, Stan. We're employees, remember? You're our employer? You're supposed to pay us a salary?
Yeah, I'd make you guys work triple shifts if I could.
What a downer.
I'd still like to get paid, though.
Mighty Manu, woman. You really know how to rub it in. God dammit. Yeah, all right, you got your timesheet?
Sorry to bother you.
That's my favorite word. How sorry are you?
Don't push your luck, Stanley.
Hey!
Yes.
Yes? Yes? Let's see it! God damn, you think I'm gonna take your word for it, woman?
No.
No? So you just want me to pay you based on the hours you claim you've worked?
Yes?
You really do know how to make me laugh. Why don't I just give you the code to my UniCard so you can withdraw your salary yourself?
Maybe.
Maybe. Christ, that's an intelligent answer. How about finding out if you do before you bother me again, huh? Does that sound like a plan we can agree on?
No timesheet, no money. Sorry.
Yes, I do.
My ulcer is acting up, my migraine's killing me... Hand it over, woman, let's be done with it, huh? Or you can walk out that door and forget about the whole thing. Your choice.
Yes.
Well, let's go. Bring it on. Or, even better, go away.
No, I don't.
Oh. Big God damn surprise. Feel like getting it and then coming back? Or better yet, don't come back. Stay away. Do my migraine world of good.
No.
Well, until you find it, you ain't getting paid. And remember to take your time, sweetheart. Take forever.
Here you are, my timesheet.
Don't say that word too loud, sweetheart, you're killing me. Let's see.
I need the money now, Stanley.
Yeah, yeah, we all need money "now", but that ain't gonna happen. Next week, I tell you.
Next week? You promise?
Sure, sure, I promise. Next week, and if that falls through, the week after. But you'll get it, sooner or later.
Forget that, I quit.
You're quitting? You can't quit. You work for me! Nobody quits this job, honey!
I can quit, and I am quitting. I quit.
Damn, woman--you know how hard it is to find people to take a crappy job like this one? I need you!
Just as much as you need the money?
All right, Jesus, I give you your damn money. What was it--fifty bucks?
Three-hundred and seventy-five dollars, Stanley. Cash.
Oh, sure, cash. Three-hundred...are you sure? I pay you guys way too much. All right, gimme your CC.
Yeah, I need the money.
Great, hon. I'll see you here later. Don't forget.
No, sorry, I have plans.
Plans? Plans on a Friday? Mighty Manu, what's the world come to. Get out from here! Leave me alone with my migraine and ulcer.
Thank you, Stanley.
Fine. Sure. Whatever.
Hey, just a minute. You free tonight? Wanna pull a shift? Sandra, she out sick, and I need a replacement pronto. How about it?
I heard that.
Hmmm. What's this? Uh? No. No-no-no. Did I sign this? What I thinking?
So?
At least it doesn't look like it's been forged. Thanks.
Thanks? Where's my money?
Oh, you ain't getting it now. Next week, honey. I write down this amount in my ledger, don't you worry your head from it.
You come to pester me again, woman? I pay you! What do you want from me?
Yeah, yeah, what is it.
That's all.
Shoo.
You'll be on the floor tonight, honey. Start taking orders!
Settle this one for us, April; when did Royn Dale release "Sidetracked"?
'04. Right after the Morning Star exile. "Those sons of bitches"--
- "with blood on their boots". Yeah. Hah. Told you so, Marcus.
Howdy.
What's up?
Not much.
You said '03.
I was closer than you. '07. And you call yourself a fan.
I don't.
Did you speak with Zack today?
Why?
He was upset. Called you a stuck-up bitch.
He what? You gotta be kidding me. I wasn't even that rude to him.
He thinks so. Said that even if you came crawling to his door, he wouldn't give you the time of day. Said you called him "an asshole".
Oh God. I really don't know when to shut my mouth, do I.
Who cares. It's Zack. He hates you, so what? No great loss.
That's true.
So what else is going on? What are you doing this afternoon?
Actually, I came by to see if I could find Cortez.
What's with you and this guy? You'd rather spend time with him than us?
I have to find out what that message means.
Don't look at me. I don't know anything except what I already told you. Ask Charlie. He spoke with Cortez earlier.
What are you doing?
Staying here, what else? I'm meeting a friend later, but that's not until nine. We're waiting for Isabel, and then we're gonna eat. But I guess you're not hungry.
No.
Figures. I don't know why I even bother asking.
Who's this "friend" you're meeting later?
No. No, of course not. I'm not your--you don't need me to tell you that, Emma.
Well, I wish you would. 'cause you're right. I shouldn't. He's a bastard.
But he's so cute, and charming, and--you know, very good in bed. I just can't help myself. But he's not a keeper, don't worry about that. It's just this thing, just a fling.
I gotta run.
See ya 'round, stranger.
See you later.
Bye!
Don't tell me, it's that guy you were out with last night.
Are you gonna tell me I shouldn't get involved with men like him?
Mind if I ask you some questions, Emma?
Like I don't tell you everything that's going on anyway? Of course you can ask me questions! Like, duh.
I have a couple of more questions...
Yes, inspector?
What's your, uh, take on Cortez?
My "take" on Cortez? What's that, like a diplomatic way of saying "what the eff is this guy's glitch"?
Sure, let's go with that one.
You know -- I think Cortez is a barrel of laughs...in a good way. Everybody thinks they got him all figured out, you know. Like he's the resident weirdo.
But I know that just ain't true. I've talked with Cortez, and the guy is brilliant. He's weird, yeah, and he's up in the clouds, and I think he believes in aliens...which is cool...but girl, he's smart.
I mean, I'm not talking professor smart here. I'm talking real life, seen-it-all, been-there-done-that smart. Useful smart. Experienced smart. And, oh, I gotta tell you -- the guy's cultured.
Ask him about anything...art, music, movies, books -- he's current on most topics, which scares me, because it seems he's always just, I dunno, hanging around doing nothing. He rarely goes anywhere.
It's almost like he's waiting for something. Or someone.
Yeah, maybe Jerry Garcia.
(giggles) You bad. No, I don't think he's a doper. I mean, listen to the guy. What he says may sound a little...out there, but the way he says it... No, he's not on Amathin, that's for sure.
And one more thing...he's cute.
He's what?
Cute.
Emma -- he's, like, sixty!
Did you ever see his eyes? Those are not the eyes of an old man. And so what if he is sixty. He's better looking than most of the guys I date, and so much nicer.
Then I think you've been swimming in the shallow end of the gene pool for too long, Emma. I mean...come on, a sixty-year old screwball with a ponytail and an "exotic" accent? Hello?
Did you speak with Charlie today?
Yeah, for a few minutes. Why?
Nothing. Just wondered, is all.
Uh, April? Did he...say anything to you at all?
About what?
About, um, nothing. I mean, I don't know anything. Which isn't true, because I don't lie. But he-- Ah, forget it. If we were having this conversation in a movie, I'd be going, like...
Shit, girl, get your act together! Open your eyes! But I...don't think that's a good idea. Not in real life. Because real life has a nasty habit of hurting people's feelings.
Did you finish your sculpture for the exhibition?
Pretty much. I'm happy with it, and I know that if I go back and keep working on it, I'll just kill it. So I think I'll leave it alone. You?
You know what? Don't ask. I'm praying it'll finish itself one of these days.
Sure. It could happen. It could so happen. But I wouldn't count on it.
(deep breath) I'll have it ready in time.
Yes you will, or I'll kick your ass so hard that you'll--
Okay. I got it, I got it. Thanks for the inspiration.
Thanks, Emma.
Thanks for what? For talking to you? Girlfriend, what the hell is the matter with you? Snap out of it!
That's it.
(sniffs) Well...we'll see.
So where have you been all day?
Oh shit -- Zack! I totally forgot.
You didn't show up at school, you weren't at work, and then Fiona tells me you're out looking for Cortez -- again! And on top of that, Zack brags about bagging a date with you. What's up with that?
He's gonna kill me...if I don't show up, that is.
You mean it's true? You have a date with that asshole? I told him he was full of shit.
I needed some information.
And you sell yourself to get it? April, you're insane. Well, you're just going to have to disappoint him.
I made a promise.
To that sleazebag? That's a promise made to be broken.
A promise is a promise. I have to go.
You're right, I'm staying here.
Commendable, but incredibly misguided. He's only after one thing, you know, and that's sex.
He can forget about that. I'll go, but I'm only staying an hour -- I'll tell him I'm tired, or sick.
Knowing Zack, he'll take that as an invitation to your bed. But I guess you've made up your mind. Go, have a good time. And good luck. You'll need it.
Good girl. Now, there are a couple of guys you should keep an eye open for tonight.
Me?
I have a boyfriend. You need a boyfriend. You need a boyfriend, because I have one, and I need somebody to compare boyfriends with. It's not your choice to make, girl. It's just the natural order of things.
I thought we were here to listen to the band.
Sure. From the back. So we can scope out guys asses.
I don't know know which place is weirder, Marcuria or the Fringe Caf・on any given night.
Marc-what?
Never mind. So, okay, which guys are we looking for?
Right. Now you may want to take notes...
