Empathy No. 056
ALLISON: ...Bullshit timing and everything, but...Roderick, you're out here?
RODERICK: Sorry, I'll clear out-
GARY: No, it's cool, you can stay. Hey man, how's it going?
RODERICK: Um...good enough. Gary, right?
GARY: Right on. I was just about to ask if you remembered me. I mean, we're in class together, but we never chat.
ALLISON: Gary's having a meeting with the rest of the band here. They're probably gonna be late, they usually are.
GARY: You can stay if you want, man. It's not like it's secret.
ALLISON: Yeah. In fact, I'm gonna call the other two because I guarantee one of them forgot. Play nice, boys.
GARY: Will do. Yeah, I'm sure Allie told you, but we had to cut our singer loose, so we're kinda stuck until we find someone new.
RODERICK: Yeah, that's...too bad.
GARY: Hey, I never asked you what you thought about the band. Don't worry, I won't be angry or anything.
RODERICK: No, you were good.
GARY: Cool. Even if you're just being nice, it's cool. I guess we don't do your kind of music. I mean, Allie says you've been listening to a lot of hard rock type of stuff, right? It's, uh...Carlie Anderson turned you on to that?
RODERICK: Yeah, she gives me mix tapes sometimes.
GARY: Oh, I also heard you're a singer.
RODERICK: No, I'm really not. My Mom just likes to talk me up, I guess.
GARY: I know how it is, but maybe you should give it a shot. We're going to do some auditions-
RODERICK: No, I don't think that's something I should do.
GARY: Really? It's painless. You just learn one of the songs you listen to and do it for me and Will and Ruben. Maybe Allie.
RODERICK: Really, I'm not that good.
GARY: Okay, but what about what we talked about at the show? You ever think about learning how to play? I got my acoustic with me, I could teach you a chord right now. It'll be a while before the other guys show up.
RODERICK: I guess I can give that a shot.
GARY: All right. Here you go - don't worry, she's sturdy, you won't cause any damage. Okay, let's try an A. So you put your hand like this...press down there...now strum with your other hand.
RODERICK: I'm not doing it right.
GARY: No, that's really pretty good. You're better than I was when I started. Allie was right, you're just good at everything. Try it again.
RODERICK: Okay.
GARY: Hey, the last time we really talked, we were out and you looked pretty tight with Carlie. She's giving you mix tapes, does that mean you're a couple?
RODERICK: It's not like that.
GARY: Sure, but are you interested? You know, do you like her?
RODERICK: Yeah, I do. I don't think Allison's happy about it.
GARY: Why do you say that?
RODERICK: Just the way she talks. I've been hanging out with Carlie a little and Allison's getting all tense.
GARY: Maybe she's a little worried, man.
RODERICK: Look, I know what they say about her, but Carlie's not like that.
GARY: Okay, I got it. You know, people tell stories like that. My family moved here when I was fourteen, and I guess people thought I looked like a druggie, so they started saying Will and me were huffing in the darkroom at lunch.
RODERICK: That's not right.
GARY: It didn't last too long, but it was rough. All right man, I'm gonna level with you: Allie wanted me to talk you out of seeing Carlie. Really, what I think is that if she makes you happy, then you should see her. And I don't know if those stories are true, they're probably not. But you know, you're getting a reputation around here, people know who you are. So if you're gonna be a couple, they're gonna tell stories about you, too. I won't tell you what to do or anything, but that's just life, man. That's just how it is.
RODERICK: I understand that. I've dealt with that kind of thing before.
GARY: Okay, man, like I said it's your choice. And the two of you get along pretty good from what I see. This is just in case Allie asks, I can be honest and say I talked this over with you. I think it's just because she worries - you know, you have a pretty nice stepsister, man.
RODERICK: Yeah, sure.