Dear Valentina [The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel]

☆ Chapter Thirteen: The Riot Act

CHAPTER THIRTEEN.      THE RIOT ACT

☆

      The 46th Street Theater was historic, massive, and magnetic in all the ways other Broadway theaters were, and Valerie remained adamantly unimpressed. She endured this behavior from the moment the cab stopped in Midtown to the time she settled into the middle section of the actual auditorium. Frankly, she might be able to appreciate the grandness of the venue especially the fact that she was in an actual Broadway theater for the first time, if she hadn't known who she was being forced to watch for the next hour. On her left, occupying the next two seats, were Midge and Susie, acting oblivious to her miserable attitude, quavering with anticipation themselves.

      The blonde tried to humor her own cynicalism for a moment, half-heartedly flipping through the pamphlet offered to her at the door that described Sophie Lennon's 'humble' beginnings, before becoming disenchanted with that as well. She surveyed around the room, able to for the time being as the overhead lights were still on, and muffled a dry snort. From her viewing distance, the entire theater was filled with upper-class New Yorkers, dawning their pressed suits and sleek gowns, murmuring excitedly amongst each other. She could tell the majority of the audience weren't strangers with attending Broadway shows, judging by how relaxed and at home they made themselves. Her acerbic amusement only grew as she took a peak at the unknown patron sitting on her right side: a woman in a fur coat and gloves, flashing the string of peals wrapped around her wrists and neck. These were the type of people who could afford a Sophie Lennon show, and somehow this comic was meant to be the salt-of-the-earth artist with a knack for connecting with the 'common folk'. 

      "Are you not the least bit excited to be here?" Midge questioned all of a sudden, leaning forward to get a better look at the blonde. "We're about to see one of the most famous comedians in the world right now."

      "You know who else was really famous? John Dillinger." Valerie responded, deadpan, resulting in her friend and manager to roll their eyes. "Would I want to be forced into an overcrowded theater with him for an hour while he colorfully describes his bank robbing techniques? No."

      "We're in a Broadway theater," Susie said jovially, a half-hearted attempt to vanquish Valerie's forlorn look. "That's a big deal to most people."

      "I'd rather be watching West Side Story." Valerie easily retorted, and the other two ladies simply gave up. When they had all met together in Manhattan and stuffed themselves in a shared cab, Midge had become extremely baffled by the revelation that Valerie did not find Sophie Lennon funny. An ensuing argument broke out, to which Valerie just repeated the exact same dialogue she said to Susie on the phone, right down to the syntax. Still, even after the debate ended, the brunette was standing in unanimity with their manager in disbelief over the blonde's opinion.