C
cuartio_o
The unfortunately-named Tea Reader (pronounced tee-a), singer-turned-actress
that I inherited from my old podmate after his forebrain sucked inward. Tea
, from what I can figure, contributed a good half of his stress -- notorious
ly difficult and given to tantrums far out of proportion to her track record
(Three singles from one album, peaking at #9, #13 and #24, respectively, a
second female lead in a Pauly Shore flick, and a series of ads for Mentos).
She was just this side (she insisted) of 30, which made her a perfect candid
ate to host her own talk show or infomercial. Tea called about once a week a
nd threatened to get other representation. I wish.
When I was thirteen, I knew every tree, every slope, every large rock in the
woods out back of my house. Every once in a while, I'd drop a book, several
candy bars and a couple of Cokes in a backpack, leave a note for the parent
s and head into the hills. I'd come back several hours later in pitch darkne
ss, unconcerned that I might get lost or misdirected. This was Los Angeles,
after all; just point yourself in the direction of the lights, and ten minut
es later you're on one suburban street or another. More to the point, howeve
r, was the fact that I knew my way around -- it was as unthinkable for me to
get lost in those woods as it was for me to get lost in my own back yard.
"Lovely," Roland said, watching Avika walk back into the office. "It reminde
d me of some of the more painful dental experiences of my life."
"You've said that before," Joshua said.
that I inherited from my old podmate after his forebrain sucked inward. Tea
, from what I can figure, contributed a good half of his stress -- notorious
ly difficult and given to tantrums far out of proportion to her track record
(Three singles from one album, peaking at #9, #13 and #24, respectively, a
second female lead in a Pauly Shore flick, and a series of ads for Mentos).
She was just this side (she insisted) of 30, which made her a perfect candid
ate to host her own talk show or infomercial. Tea called about once a week a
nd threatened to get other representation. I wish.
When I was thirteen, I knew every tree, every slope, every large rock in the
woods out back of my house. Every once in a while, I'd drop a book, several
candy bars and a couple of Cokes in a backpack, leave a note for the parent
s and head into the hills. I'd come back several hours later in pitch darkne
ss, unconcerned that I might get lost or misdirected. This was Los Angeles,
after all; just point yourself in the direction of the lights, and ten minut
es later you're on one suburban street or another. More to the point, howeve
r, was the fact that I knew my way around -- it was as unthinkable for me to
get lost in those woods as it was for me to get lost in my own back yard.
"Lovely," Roland said, watching Avika walk back into the office. "It reminde
d me of some of the more painful dental experiences of my life."
"You've said that before," Joshua said.