Starbucks At Three

(Scene: Curt and Baker, men in their 70s, sit at a table on a small patio outside Starbucks.) C: You watch the Blazers game last night? B: Missed it. Who won? C: I didn't watch it either. Couldn't get past the National Anthem. B: Oh Jesus, here we go. C: It's the Star Spangled Banner, for Christ's sake. Show a little respect. B: Who was it? C: I don't remember her name. Some Grammy winner. B: Who over-sang it. C: To say the least. Total show off, can I hold a high note or what? And no way you could understand the lyrics. It was all about showing off her voice. B: I forget your name for that. C: The Ella Fitzgerald School of Singing. Versus the Billie Holiday School of Singing, where the song comes first, the voice serves the song. B: And for this you missed the game? C: I couldn't watch it. The TV broke. B: Talk about bad timing. C: Well, I threw a book at it. Shattered the screen. B: Jesus. C: Goddamn it, she was scat singing the National Anthem!