Finding Someone

Introduction to Film

      "Voice Command." Pierces says into his phone and it just beeps at him response . "Voice command" Pierce says into his phone again. "Voice command." Pierce says with the same results as before.  "Voice command." Pierce tries again. Pierce definitely doesn't know the meaning of quitting. "Voice command." He attempts again.  "Voice comm..." Pierce says again for what feels like the millionth time, but is interrupted by Britta slamming on the table.

      "Would you please use the buttons?" Britta asks trying to be calm.

     "Okay, grandpa." Pierce scoffs in return. I can tell this is ramping up to be another study group argument.

      "Achoo!" Troy sneezes. It wasn't a loud attention grabbing sneeze, but one of the tiny cute squeaky sneezes that make you want to call him adorable. I stand corrected Troy ended a study group fight by sneezing like a little girl.

     "Oh! God bless you...dear." Shirley says to Troy teasing him. I giggle at the comment. I try to stop it for Troy's sake, but I can't.

     "What's so funny?" Troy asks confused. 

     "You guys, I found it. The ultimate blow-off class. Professor Whitman, he thinks he's in Dead Poets Society. There's no tests, there's no work, it's just day seizing. The deadline to enroll is tomorrow. I suggest you all do it." Jeff announces as he walks into the study room.

     It definitely sounds fun. "I'm in!" I say to Jeff in response.

     "Well, some of us are here to actually learn things." Annie snarks back at Jeff's lack of work ethic.

     "I'm in." Troy pipes in shooting me a smile when he does.

     "Me too, it sounds educational." Annie say retracting her last comment as soon as Troy agrees to come. Sounds to me like little Miss Annie has a crush on Troy. 

     "I'll do it, I love Robin Williams." Shirley agrees with taking the class too. I am actually kind of excited for class now. 

     "Abed?" Jeff asks for his decision. 

     "Not a fan. In every movie, there's an authority figure that gets mad at him for making people laugh." Abed replies thinking we are still talking about Robin Williams.

     "No, are you going to take the class?" Jeff asks again more clearly this time.

     "Oh, I can't. My dad will only pay for classes that will help me run the family restaurant. It's been struggling since 2001, 9/11 was pretty much the 9/11 of the falafel business." Abed replies in his usual monotone. I was really hoping he would join us, but at least I can spend some time with Troy. 

     "So your dad has your whole life planned out for you? Are you even interested in falafel?" Britta asks stunned. 

     "I'm interested in making movies but my Dad says all media's western propaganda that negatively stereotypes Arabs." Abed says in return. His dad is right there, but not always.

     "You should see Aladdin, Jafar was a badass." Troy says trying to lighten the mood from all the 9/11 and racism talk. 

    We all agree Jafar was a badass. I don't think anyone can dispute that fact.

     "Abed, how much does a film class cost?" Britta asks

     "Seventy dollars." He replies

     Britta takes out her checkbook and starts to fill out a check for Abed's film class. It is a very nice gesture, but I can't really see this ending well. We are all friends, but  the study group hasn't gotten close enough to cross the distinct line she is currently bulldozing past. 

     "Britta?" Jeff asks in a tone of voice that makes me think we are on the same page on what is happening. 

     "Jeff?" Britta snaps back in the same tone, goading for him to test her on this.

     "Britta." Jeff says again this time exasperated that she is actually going to do this. Watching them is like watching you parents in an argument. 

      "Isn't Abed's dad a hardcore Muslim? They're not as understanding as Christians. You could get your head cut off with a salami sword." Shirley says in her usual tone. I actually do a double take a what she said, just to make sure I heard her right. I never thought Shirley to be racist like that.