A:( Beat.) I don’ t get you.
B: Now since it’ s not going to kill you, you mind telling me why you asked me here?
A: You don’ t actually believe what you’ re saying do you? I thought living some life would have actually beaten some sense into you. Still as naïve as ever, you’ ve never had to suffer. Born to a silver spoon.
B: I was naïve enough to believe you to be some mentor once upon a time, I give you that. But you are just jaded. You say your pessimism is just being real, is just being pragmatic. But you’ re the one that’ s blind.
A:( A is building in emotional intensity.) If you’ ve been where I’ ve been, seen what I’ ve seen –
B: Then what? I might be a grumpy old man too? Afraid to feel the warmth of the sun on a cold winter day? You’ ve closed yourself off to life.
A: And you’ ve never lived! You’ ve hidden behind privilege and success. You’ ve never had a taste of what it is like on the darker side of life. Yet you mean to tell me something about moving on? About healing? You and your bullshit utopian dreams! Life isn’ t like that! People don’ t work that way!( A has reached a denouement in his emotional crescendo. He is calming. Vulnerable.) Look at yourself, you’ d just as soon step on the neck of the man who gave you direction than to give him a helping hand.
B:( B has a sudden sense of compassion in his voice, serious and penetrating like tempered steel.) So the world isn’ t perfect. But that doesn’ t mean we should give up hope. That we shouldn’ t put forth the effort to change hearts and minds. Even if the winter storm chills our bones and clouds the sky – the sun is still shining behind it all.( Beat. Sensing that A has lowered his defenses.) You asked me here for a reason.
A:( Beat.) I don’ t know what to think – my career isn’ t going nowhere.( B resists the urge to speak and simply listens.) … I was thinking you might have some advice – maybe … you’ d like to work together and make some songs?
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