RINGTONES AND DRAMA FREAKS

“As soon as they heard me approach, they grew quiet. I mean nothing. Absolutely nothing.”

“What do you mean, nothing?” Staci rolls over, propping herself up on her bed.

“You could literally hear a pin drop. It was that quiet. It was like time stood still in a black hole. And they just sat there with their mouths open like a guppy. It was embarrassing. I didn‘t know what to say, so I just stood there and waited for a few minutes. And when they finally did do something, they raised the volume on their speakers or went back to their iPods.”

“I don’t see why you tried going over there in the first place. They were probably in shock and when you had nothing to say, it was back to same-o, same-o living in their machines,” Staci rationalizes.

“But Evan was the one who invited me and he acted as surprised as the rest of them.”

“You know the ‘Ringtoness’…” Staci trails off. “You’re not cool unless you own all the latest in video-graphical equipment. Accessorize, accessorize, accessorize. What a bunch of noise. ‘Tech-noise’ is what they should be called.

“I’m amazed they even know how to communicate apart from all their technological gadgets. I mean, come on, text messaging one another while you’re in the same room, when all you have to do is open your mouth and talk to the person next to you.”

“Why did you go over there, anyway? Besides Evan inviting you.”

“Oh, you know,” Emily sighs, “ ‘The Company’ really could use their technological skills in our production of Macbeth. I think it would be kinda’ cool.”

Emily jumps up, her face lit, “Imagine, a deep and dark forest, fog crawling eerrily across the ground, while the three witches are mixing their brew. ‘Double, double, toil and trouble. Fire burn and cauldron bubble,’” as Emily pretends to stir the cauldron.

“Quit being dramatic, Emily. You don’t need to convince me. I know the play would be better with some cool techno effects, but,” she sighs in emphasis, “they’re the Ringtones and we’re the drama freaks.”

“Speak for yourself! I am not a freak. Liking drama, Shakespearean plays and musicals does NOT make you a freak. And besides, Evan was excited about the idea and I thought that was why he invited me to meet the group in the first place.”

“Hey, don’t get into a tiff at me. I’m not the one who told you to go over there. That was your decision. Plus,” Staci tilts her head, “Why didn’t you say something if they didn’t?”

“Evan invited me there, so I thought it would be better coming from him, but when he didn’t even say anything, what could I say? They don’t know me. And they might not even see me as credible.”

“Why do you say that? I see you as credible; I know you to be credible.”

“C’mon, Staci,” as Emily rolls her eyes, “Just look at me. I don’t even own a cell phone. Horror of horrors to a Ringtone. Let‘s face it, they probably just think I live in a technologically deficient time zone.”