162. Shining Armor - Leslie

• FADE IN:


• INT. ANDROGYNOUS CLAM - NIGHT


• SETH and Angie sit across from each other at a small table, the tension palpable.


• Seth fidgets with his napkin and Angie studies her water.


• SETH
• So...


• Angie jumps, startled, and knocks the glass of water to the floor.


• It crashes, sending cascades of water all around the table.


• Heads turn as other diners look to see where the noise is coming from.


• Seth grabs a napkin and crouches, getting most of the excess water up.


• He pauses, glancing up, and catches Angie's gaze.


• They look at each other for a long moment, then burst out laughing.


• SETH
• I'm not great at dating.


• ANGIE
• Me neither.


• Seth returns to his chair as a waiter arrives to hurriedly sweep up the glass.


• SETH
• Maybe that's why Andrew was so intent on setting us up.


• Angie taps her ring-covered fingers on the table and rolls her eyes.


• ANGIE
• Maybe. He seemed awfully interested in setting us up.


• SETH
• You too? Funny. He, uh, he told me what the rings were for.


• Angie stops tapping and looks at him.


• ANGIE
• Hey, I'm not looking for some night in shimmery armor to come charging down the hill to save me.


• SETH
• I'm not really looking to be a shimmery knight.


• ANGIE
• Good answer.


• SETH
• Is it true about the rings?


• ANGIE
• Yeah, too angsty?


• SETH
• Maybe, but it's not a bad thing. There's something poignant about remembering pain that way.


• ANGIE
• Good answer.


• SETH
• Why thanks. I'm not even going to pretend to act surprised that we have the same taste in things, by the way; because I have a feeling Andrew rigged the game and informed us both.


• ANGIE
• Five favorites, quick, no specific order, doesn't have to be the top five, just the ones that come to mind.


• SETH
• Satoshi Kon's Paprika, Donnie Darko, Three Extremes, Lady in the Water, Angel-A. And while I'm at it, total bookaholic too. Five authors same deal?


• ANGIE
• Kierkegaard in small doses, Flannery, Orson Scott Card, Anne Lamott, Homer on rainy days.


• SETH
• Good answer.


• He laughs and she smiles ruefully.


• ANGIE
• So maybe Andrew had a point.


• SETH
• Whoa, let's not rush it, maybe, but we haven't even eaten yet, or even started to appreciate the madness of this restaurant. Let's save hasty conclusions for the second date.


• ANGIE
• Two things; one, this is a wonderfully odd little place and two, second date?


• SETH
• You know it's going to happen, at least if we can get through this meal discovering horrifying and life-shattering facts about each other.


• ANGIE
• Ok, let's see about eating then.


• FADE TO BLACK.


• Seth catches the attention of a waiter and waves him over, then turns back to Angie.


• SETH
• You know, when I said I was bad at dating, I didn't mean I was bad at relationships.


• ANGIE
• Me too.


• SETH
• Good answer.