Smoke Break
On the downtown side of Houston sits a strip of outlets ready for all economic walks of life. Center stage down this strip is Coppola’s; an Italian restaurant that prides itself on elegance, a proper wait staff, and award winning cuisines. Next door is Mookie’s; a hole in the wall pizza joint with the cheapest, greasiest pizza that the bar flies ever mulled over. From the back door of each of these establishments every day after nine at night, Anthony would come from Coppola’s and Ryan would come from Mookie’s, and together they would indulge in their one-time-a-night smoke break.
“Shit show in there tonight.” Ryan said, still wearing his sauce covered apron, and removing his rubber gloves, wrapping one glove in the excess of the other, then launching them into the dumpster before fishing his back pocket for a smoke.
“Hasn’t been so bad for me,” Anthony replied, “I just got a family of five. Fresh out of the new star wars and won’t shut up about it.” He slid a hand through his combed hair, and carefully leaned against the wall so not to wrinkle his dress shirt, or scuff his slacks.
“Those movies are getting worse and worse if you ask me.” Ryan took off his hat and fiddled with his flat hair before securing it under cover again. “Honestly they’ve all been kind of shit after Empire.”
“Empire?” Anthony scoffed, “Was Revenge of the Sith just a waste of cinema to you?”
Ryan chuckled, “Revenge of the Sith plays into what audiences want to see, it feels fun but it follows a formula. You spend the entire film waiting for what you now is going to happen,
it plays off your knowledge of the other films and keeps pace by reminding you that the world you love will be here by the films end, almost solidifying that this is not the world you love.”
“No, no- no, I appreciate your idea and I believe that there is a point, but something acting as a prequel is required to serve the purpose of leading us to the familiar destination that we love. The film adds new characters, shifts tones from trilogies, and even manages to surprise an obsessive audience that should recognize every detail.”
Ryan shifted his weight and took a drag of his cigarette, ash fumbling on to his apron, “Okay- but Empire changed the course of film as an art, bringing us editing and designs that we hadn’t ever seen before. Sith just uses those same story telling techniques to craft another good Star Wars film.
Anthony straightened his posture and smiled wildly, making carful practice of not allowing ash or ember to ruin his clothing, “So you do think Sith is a good film?”
Ryan presses a tongue to his cheek and holds back a laugh, “Yeah yeah, whatever. They’re both good. I gotta head back in, I’ll see you at home. Star wars marathon tonight?”
“Sounds much needed.” Anthony bogarted his smoke and adjusted his clothing once more, “I’ll see you later, try and hurry up- I’m not trying to wait another hour”
“Later man. Hey! make sure to have some fun in there! Enjoy the family of five!” The two returned to work after a brief exchange of middle fingers.
Author Bio: Cody Hopper is a student at CSUSM, when he isn’t doing improv, or flippin’ za, he can be found in the dark corners of his room, writing the next story of horror and torment that crosses his mindscape. He loves violent stories, comic books, movies, coffee, and buffalo wings– not in this order.