Art by Vladislav Yerko
End of Run
“I’m going to miss this you know,”
Cory said quietly over the chalice he held between them.
“Me too. It’s been a
good run.” Sandy reached up and caressed
the bottom of the chalice and drew in close.
“Careful, don’t knock over the dragonette. Remember when we did that in the first
season? Critics turned us into a comedy
in the press.” Bending down as to take a
drink, Cory reminded her.
“You’re never going to let me live that down,” She
cooed.
“It was as much my fault
as it was yours. I grabbed you contrary
to the script and moved you off the mark. I
am sorry about that. But it was my first
gig, and I was trying too hard.”
Sandy tossed her head and laughed as the court Joker strode
by behind them tapping lightly on a tambourine in rhythm to the original score wafting
up from the orchestra pit.
The score began to build as Cory handed the chalice off to
the Joker and bent the knee before Sandy and took her hand.
The audience clapped.
With an exaggerated flourish of the arm to the viewers, he pivoted and knocked over the
dragonette. He grabbed it and tried to stand it back up, but it flopped over twice more. Grinning he let
it lie.
The audience was silent, then when the dragonette toppled
the second time, there were chuckles. When
the Prince grinned, they howled.
The final curtain dropped.
On the count of ten, the curtain parted at the middle, and the cast had gathered center stage and bowed
deeply at the waist to the applause of the patrons. The curtain closed for the last time.
~~~#~~~
Backstage, Sandy
reached up and pulled at the hairline of her red hair and whisked it from her
head exposing a head of short blond hair pulled
tight by a fishnet covering. That went
next. “Whew,” she said as she dropped it on a bench. She peeled out of her outer garment, folded
it in half and set it on the wig. “They can put this drapery back where ever
they found it.”
Cory chuckled as he pulled his cape off and dropped it on
her, whatever it was. “At least, I only
had to wear my window dressing over my shoulders. I think I’m going to try for a spot-on Bay
Watch. I tan up rather well.” He pulled back his cap along with his red hair
and dropped the pair on the growing pile. Fingers massaged his cropped black
hair.
“What was that?” Sandy demanded.
Cory shrugged. “Thought
it would be cool to go out the way we came in.
He pulled the little dragon from under his arm and set it next to the
clothes on the bench.
Shaking her head, “It was cute.”
“What’s next for you, Cory?
It won’t be Bay Watch. Never
know, though… they might bring it back just for you.”
“I was just kidding. A little beach time would be nice. I sent in a tape for the Joker in a new series
called Gotham. They liked it and want me
to come out for a trial shoot,” Cory answered.
“How about you? Anything lined up?”
“Sam took over management of a casino in Reno…” Sandy
started and scowled.
“Oh, the Biggest Little City in the World.”
“Yes, if you’ll let me finish. Sam’s giving me a venue. I’m going to work up a song and dance,” Sandy
said as she bumped elbows with another cast member changing clothes. “Sorry, Karen. Didn’t mean to jab you.”
“No problem. You going to the end-of-run party at Trump
Tower? It’s been eight seasons. Should be a lot of fun.”
“Na, thanks though.
Sam’s picking me up, and we have
to head out to Nevada straight away.”
Karen looked at Cory. “You going?”
“You bet. Cindy is
going to meet me there.”
After exchanging civilities with most of the cast as they
filed out. Cory watched Sandy disappear
through the side door. Nothing else to
do but go. Except for that little
dragon. It’ll make a lovely keepsake.
Turning to the bench. All the clothes still sat where they were put. But no dragon. He looked behind the bench and under it. Did someone
snitch it already? He pushed back the costumes
to reveal a small pile of …. Did someone
have a dog in here that ran off with the dragon? He leaned over and sniffed. Yuck.
The prop guy came up and grabbed an armload of the clothes.
“Harry, did you see a dog around here?” Cory asked.
“No sir, Mr. Jones.
They ain’t allowed you know.”
Cory studied the empty bench but for the moist pile. “No…, couldn’t
be.”
