Another Excerpt from: "Together Now"

“How are we for time?” Warren asked.

“Actually it’s almost up.” The shrink said with a pout on her face. “However I would really like to hear the rest of the story, so how about I give you my number and you could finish it for me, possibly this evening?” She said while writing her number down.

As she handed him the card with her number Warren replied with: “Sounds excellent.”

“Bye for now Warren.”

“Later.” Warren said without looking back.

***

Outside of the building Warren pulled the card out of his shirt pocket and focused on it while he was walking. Unfortunately he ended up walking right into an old lady in a walker. The old lady was not impressed.

“You fucking asshole!” She screeched as she lifted her walker to hip height and swung back to hit him in the small of the back.

“Hey! I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to... Oof!!” The walker hit it’s mark with much more power than Warren thought the old lady had in her. “I was just... HEY!” He exclaimed as she swung back for another hit.

“I don’t care what you were justing! Do you have any idea of how high my medical bills are already?” She struck Warren again. This time in the back of the leg.

“Actually no. I’m Canadian!” Warren said in pain as the walker then took a turn to his chest. “Jesus! Your just like my grand mother! OW!!!” The old lady had knocked Warren on his ass.

“That’s what you get you Canuck smart ass! Maybe you’ll pay more attention to where your walking from now on, because you sure as hell ain’t in Canada anymore!” The old lady stated angrily. She set her walker back into it’s proper position and began to hobble away.

Warren sat on the ground staring at the old woman. The sudden realization of not being in Canada had finally hit him. If he was in Canada, the chance of an old lady accosting him with a walker was almost none existent. He got up, put the card with the shrinks number in his pocket and headed back to the place him and Anne were illegally renting.

***
Warren walked into the studio apartment to find Anne getting filled out like an application on the couch. A Wal-Mart special DVD camcorder was set up in a corner recording. He walked over to the guy that was balls deep with in his friend.

“Can I help you?” Warren asked in a surprisingly calm tone of voice.
Not breaking his stride the guy replied; “Who the fuck are you?”

“Hey Warren!” Anne cut in. “This is Jesse! He’s big in porn right now!” Anne was cooing with pleasure.

“Not with that camera he’s not. I know porn standards, this douche is just going to post it on a website to make himself a quick buck.” Warren retorted.

That was enough to get Jesse out of Anne. Jesse stood up. He was by nobodies standard good looking. He had what could only be described as shoddy and extremely shitty tattoos that covered his body.

“So you think you know it all don’t you?” Jesse said to Warren.

“I know enough. Comes with being a writer. I watch a lot of porn, and I have never seen anything you’ve been in. That tells me your either a wannabe, or someone who couldn’t hack doing gay porn first.” Warren replied to Jesse trying to get a reaction. Anne lit a cigarette and sat on the couch. Warren glanced over at her, she was drunk yet again.

“I ain’t no faggot! In fact I think your the fag for bringing up gay porn!” Jesse stated heated. The blood visibly rushing to his face.

“Look, I appreciate you trying to make a few bucks from fucking my roommate, but I’m going to have to see the contract and release form for this production.” Warren stated even more calmer then he was before.

“Well... I don’t have them on me. I forgot them at the Starbucks where we signed them.” Jesse said with less aggression.

“Okay let’s see your STD report. You at least have to have one of those on you, every porn actor does.” Warren said crossing his arms and tilting his head to the side.
“I don’t have my wallet it on me, but it’s in there.” Jesse said trying to be confident and failing miserably at it.

“It’s time you leave.” Warren suggested while gathering Jesse’s clothes and putting them in his arms.

“Can I just...” Jesse started.

“No. Goodbye.” Warren said leading him to the door.

“But...”

“No.” Warren replied while opening the door. He gently pushed Jesse out.

“Hey my...” Jesse started again.

“B-bye.” Warren said condescendingly then shut the door.

Warren turned and looked at Anne. He hated seeing her like this. He was glad she didn’t get involved. He walked over to her and sat on the apartments couch.

“So he seemed nice.” Warren said trying to make light of the situation.

“He was going to make me a star and you fucked it up!” Anne said with building hostility.

“Anne. Your drunk, again. You didn’t sign a contract, or even a release form. That guy was not going to make you a star.” Warren logically stated.

“Well I need to start somewhere Warren! We’ve been here a week and all I’ve done is get drunk and haven’t wanted to go look for work.” Anne replied. She was on the brink of tears. Bipolar is a hell of a disorder.

“That would be because we can’t technically work here yet. You could go be a server for a while. I know it’s not the greatest thing to do, but it would be a starting point.” Warren said trying to give Anne some help.

“But that’s why we ran away for! So we could live our dreams! Not so we could rot in yet another restaurant in the US! Goddamn it Warren! You at least write! I’m sure it’ll be easier for you to get on somewhere and do what you want to do!” Anne replied. The hostility returning.

“Keep in mind I’m in the same situation as you right now. The only difference is I’ve left the apartment for more then a few hours this week. Anyway, I have to get ready. I have a date this evening.” Warren said getting up and heading to the bathroom.

“A date?” Anne asked.

“Yeah, it was the weirdest thing! I felt a little discouraged today and went to one of those drop in counseling centers and got asked out by the shrink!” Warren replied form in the bathroom.

“I bet your going to fuck her.” Anne said morosely.

“That’s the plan.” Warren responded with a mouthful of toothbrush.

“I hope you do, but just so you know I’m not going to come bust in on you.” Anne said with her head down staring at the burnt out cigarette butt between her fingers.

“I know, probably because I’ll be at her place.” Warren quickly replied.

“I’m just saying that I wouldn’t crush your dreams. I’m just wondering why you felt the need to crush mine.” Anne rhetorically asked as she put the butt in the ashtray.

Warren emerged from the bathroom. His hand dropped away from his toothbrush and hung loosely in his hand. He walked back over to the couch and sat next to Anne. He put his arm around her naked body.

“Look Anne. I’m not going out with this girl to try and become a writer. She’s a shrink. I know you want to be a porn star, but your not going to attain that by fucking every guy with a camcorder that comes along. I’ll help you look for work tomorrow. Real work, not some seedy fuck with a 200 dollar camera.” Warren said to Anne sympathetically. “Just rest and relax tonight okay?”

“I will. Thanks Warren.” Anne said smiling at him.

“No problem. You help me get through tough times as well. Like it or not, we’re in this together now.” Warren said getting up. “You should also get an STD test, that guy looked like a drowned sewer rat!”
***