38
Continued from previous page…
BELINDA
So, where is she
today, anyway?
KATHY
(sucks a drag from a joint)
You talkin’ about
Charlotte again?
BELINDA
Of course.
KATHY
(holding it in)
I think she’s downtown
meeting with some people.
BELINDA
About that apartment
building, right?
KATHY
(exhaling)
Yeah, I think so.
GINA
See— now how do
you know this?
KATHY
Because I open up my mouth and I talk
to her, Gina. It’s not that bigga’ deal.
She’s not going to hide anything from
you. If you want to know about what she’s
doing, just ask her. She’s happy to talk
about it.
GINA
Ah, forget it.. I don’t understand
any of that shit that she’s
talkin’ about… And sometimes I
think she’s just trying to confuse me.
I can tell by the look on her face.
KATHY
Well, that’s your problem.
If you don’t understand it,
then don’t worry about it.
She’s not going to rip us off.
GINA
She better not.
I’d have to kill her.
KATHY
On the other hand, if you
don’t understand what she’s
doing, you won’t be able to
tell if she’s ripping us off.
Gina concedes.
BELINDA
She was tellin’ me the
other day about some
company that she’s all
jacked-up about.
KATHY
Yeah, me too!
That software company, right?
BELINDA
I don’t know— maybe.
GINA
What the hell is software?
KATHY
It’s the stuff that tells
the computer what to do.
BELINDA
I don’t know, but she
was pretty excited about it.
She’s into all that..
technology stuff.
KATHY
Yeah, it’s called Micro.. Span,
or Micro.. Spot… Micro something.
I can’t remember
what she said.
BELINDA
She said she liked it because
the guys who own it were
real nerds. She said she puts
her “trust” in that kind of thing.
GINA
So.. then.. we’re invested
in it, right?
KATHY
Yeah, I guess so. When
Charlotte invests in something,
we’re all invested in it.
BELINDA
See, I think that’s a mistake.
I think all this computer stuff
is gonna die out. I think
it’s just a fad.
KATHY
Uh, I don’t know about that.
You can buy one for your
house now. That’s pretty cool.
BELINDA
Yeah, but I don’t think people
care about having a computer
in their house. After a while,
it will just sit there collecting dust.
You’ll see— mark my words.
GINA
I still can’t believe we own
an apartment building! That is
beyond cool. Can we go over there
and kick some people out?
KATHY
The idea is not to kick
people out, Gina.
GINA
I was just kidding,
Miss Know-It-All.
BELINDA
She said she wants to
own a building someday.
Pretty soon, actually.
GINA
What do you mean, a building?
KATHY
Ya’ know— a fuckin’ building.
GINA
Oh, well, thanks for clarifyin’
that, Kath. That clears
things right up.
KATHY
A building… Ya’ know—
a skyscraper.
GINA
She wants to buy
a skyscraper?!!
KATHY
Well, I don’t know about
a skyscraper. I don’t know
how much sky it’s actually
gonna be scraping. Especially
out here in L.A… They don’t
make em’ that tall out here.
GINA
Yeah, why is that?
BELINDA
Because of the earthquakes.
GINA
Ohhh.. Really?
BELINDA
Yeah, you didn’t know that?
GINA
(embarrassed)
Yeah… I knew… I just
thought it was for
other reasons, too.
Kathy and Belinda
look at each other
and smile.
BELINDA
Oh, and she also told me
they’re just about ready to
break ground on our mansion.
GINA
Break ground?
BELINDA
Yeah, I got that term from Charlotte.
I love saying it. It makes me sound
like I know what I’m talkin’ about.
KATHY
(towards Gina)
It means they’re gonna
start construction soon.
GINA
And I am gonna kick the shit
out of both of you if you
don’t stop gangin’ up on me.
BELINDA
Ganging up on you?!!
After what you two
just did to me?
Kathy and Gina
laugh and high-five
each other.
GINA
How long is it gonna
take to build that thing?
KATHY
Like.. a year and
a half, I guess.
GINA
Oh, man, that long?
I wanna get started.
KATHY
That’s what Charlotte said.
GINA
Bummer.
BELINDA
It takes that long because
of all the stuff we’re gonna have.
KATHY
We’re gonna have everything,
Beano— Tennis courts, a band shelter…
indoor swimming pool…
Even a golf course.
GINA
Omigod, I can’t believe it.
This is gonna be so awesome.
We’re gonna have the sickest parties.
Copyright 2020
by Clark Wright