Chapter 2

I went back to my apartment, and lazed about looking over the script doing some research, into the circumstances and wondering ... about Amy?

About 9PM I got a call.

"Hello, this is Michael Travis," I said.

This is the only girl within 1000 miles of you," the nice voice on the other end of the line said.

"Oh, hi Ruthie!"

"Smart-ass," she said. "It's Amy, Michael. I was reading through this play, and we not only have a few make out scenes. We also seem to be mostly unclothed, wearing only scraps of material we find along the way."

"I haven't read it all the way through Amy — would you rather be wearing scraps of material or be naked through the entire play?"

"What are you talking about Michael?"

"I did some research, and the science is unclear if we were only 1000 miles away from a nuclear blast. I'm thinking that the author has romanticized the whole thing. This is a love a story that happens to have the backdrop of a nuclear attack," I explained.

"So, in the real scenario, there is no chance for our survival?" Amy asked.

"Not really, this is the story of Adam and Eve - set in the current global political climate of the 21^st Century," I said.

"How does that help us get inside the minds of our characters?" she inquired.

"I have an idea, but you may think it's too 'outside the box?'"

"Go ahead, just say it?"

"I think that we should ... I wonder if we could ... I can't say this over the phone to a girl I just met. Can we meet somewhere?"

"Sure, Your place or mine?" she said with a lilt to her voice.

"Text me your address, OK?"

"This isn't a ploy of some kind, is it Michael?"

"You'll have to hear my idea first Amy — either way. It doesn't matter to me."

"Well, now you have my interest piqued, I'll text you my address. Bring food with you, please — surprise me!"

I showed up with Chinese food 37 minutes later. My hands were full so I used my foot to knock.

"Who is it?"

"The only man within 1000 miles!"

"Ooh, Chinese — thank you Michael there might just be a benefit to this play after all. Come in," she said with a wan smile.

After we started eating I got my script.

"So, what is this momentous idea of yours?" she said between bites.

"I think that Michael and Amy were a couple long before this bomb dropped. They were a couple that couldn't get it to work between them. Time passes, the bomb drops and coincidentally, they're the only two people for miles and miles. What do you say to that idea?" I exposited.

"That's ... one way to go with it. How do we let the audience in on our past without a total rewrite of the script, Michael?" she wondered aloud.

"Here comes the crux of this idea - Promise you won't throw any food at me?"

"I promise," she said putting her chopsticks down.

"Before we start rehearsals next week, one of us moves in with the other. We live together with all the bells and whistles that goes with that, then we break up ... and use that short history to guide our characters through the story," I said not seeing any reaction in her face.

"Who would move in with who?" she lightly said.

"It doesn't matter. You and your mother live together - Maybe you should move in with me. You agree to this idea? I expected you to go a little ballistic before we actually made a deal," I said still waiting for an outburst of some kind.

"It's really a carefully thought-out scenario. I move in with you. We live together for a week with all the creature comforts of it. After we're through eating, I'll pack some things and leave my mother a note. She's out of town for a sales convention coming home later this week."