Episode 44: Arugula

COLD OPEN

 

Chuck Octagon—Jeff Van Dreason
Have you ever had to admit something that was really difficult to admit, and if so, are you comfortable talking about what it is?

Interview 1
[Deep breath.]
Uhh? I… I did. Umm. But I don’t think I can go into it. Sorry. 

 

Chuck Octagon
How did you meet your current best friend or partner?

 

Interview 1
I met my current partner, uhh, when I was in grad school. I would be working on papers and I would go to take a break at this sushi restaurant down the street. And I didn’t realize that they did karaoke there on Saturday nights until I was in the middle of dinner and the lights went out, and there was only about four people there. And so it was really bizarre, there were just the same four people going up over and over again. 

 

[“Charlie on the MTA” begins to play.]

 

Interview 1
And so I thought it was so funny that I just came back every week to watch other people do karaoke and read in the corner. And I didn’t realize they had also noticed that I showed up every week—and they had a nickname for me—they called me Book Girl. Uhh, [laughs] until eventually they said, “Do you want to come over here and hang out?”’ Uhh, and so I did, and so actually my current partner was one of those four people [laughs] who was going up and singing every night. Uhh.

 

PREVIOUSLY IN

 

Lydia Anderson

Previously, in Greater Boston.

 

Isabelle Powell
There is a secret group of us working in Red Line.

Leon Stamatis
My brother said he wanted to join you here and you didn’t sound pleased.

Gemma Linzer-Coolidge
If he’s with me, how is that going to work?

 

Michael Tate
Providence. I’ll follow up.

Louisa Alvarez
Want some company?

 

Title Sequence

Braintree
(Arlington)
Peabody
Third-Sight Media

Lowell
(alright)
Jamaica Plain
Uhhh… I’ve lived in Lemonster my whole life.
The Underground
Wellesley
(Worcester) 

Hanson
Mattapan Trolley Line
(I can’t say that one without a Boston accent, it’s just impossible)
Guy’s Food Truck
Arlington
Framingham
Newton
Lowell
Red Line

Uhh, I’m from Somerville
Roslindale
Former Headquarters of Filene’s Basement
Worcester
Andover
Now you can tell everybody
Medford 

(laughter)
That this is my truck
Dorchester
This is…

This is…
This is…
Greater Boston

 

[“Charlie” fades out slowly.]

 

Alexander Danner
This week in Greater Boston, Episode 44: Arugula.

 

STATIC

 

[Static. Radio turned on. Feedback. Music dribbles in. Bells. A montage of noise. As if we’re listening in on someone’s morning routine. But then there are five routines. Then a dozen. Coffee being prepared. Guitar strumming. Scraping of butter over toast. Someone slumps in a seat and the chair creeks. A wave of energy and then we hear Leon.]

 

Leon Stamatis—Braden Lamb

…another morning… in Greater Boston…

 

[More noise – montage of voices to make out. Static.]

 

Leon [normally]

Hm. What is—?

 

[Scraps of narration for each routine fade in and out, too fragmented to make out completely. The routines slip away until only one is left. Early traffic in the rain. A payphone receiver is picked up. Numbers are punched. A distant dial.]

 

Cheese Robot—Jordan Higgs [distant]

…next stop…

 

Leon [grimacing/repeated]

Kendall… MIT…

 

Cheese Robot [distant]

KENDALL MIT

 

[Most other noises fade away after a shift. Someone is dialing a number in a payphone. Rain outside. Leaving a recorded message. Some of the other routines slip back in here and there, fading in and out, but this one stays loudest, centered.]

 

Leon

Before they leave town for good, Petal feels the urge to leave…one last…

Leon (static, distant)
One…last…

 

Petal—Jenny Pan

Hi. [Sniff.] I know you wouldn’t understand if I left without saying anything. I just… wanted you to know it’s alright. I’m alright now, or I will be. I’m just… sick of feeling so… stranded. So cut off from everyone. From you. The isolation, you know?

 

[Static—we switch abruptly to an apartment on Red Line. Train noise creeps in, traffic noise drops out. The voice shifts to sounding recorded.]

 

Leon

In his Red Line apartment… I’m—I’m not sure…

 

Cheese Robot

NEXT STOP CENTRAL SQUARE.

 

Petal [answering machine]

And just how quiet it is lately. Lately, all the time. Umm, yeah, so. If you miss me, then I’m still with you. As long as you miss me, I’ll be with you. And you’ll always be with me. Because I’ll always miss you. [Sigh.] So. Goodbye. 

 

[A beep. The Singer sighs and turns off the tape recorder. He moves to a keyboard and plays some chords, eventually finding a song. Singing some melodies. He writes down lyrics after he sings, becoming more emotionally spent the longer the song moves on. He strums his guitar a bit. And then sings.]

 

Gemma Linzer-Coolidge—Lydia Anderson [barely audible, buried in the mix]

Leon. 

[Calling but still barely audible] 

LEON! I need you buddy. Please tell me you’re there. 

 

Singer—Oliver Morris [um, singing]

There’s a story bein’ told

Saying you’re feeling so alone

But you don’t know, my love

How low loneliness can go

If you dug yourself a hole

Unearth the lonely dirt below

You still won’t find, my love

Space for loneliness to grow

 

[Energy shift. Overlayed narrations. Mechanical tinkering noises. Soldering. Electrical work. The morning routines slip back, one at a time. Someone is crying silently. We do not know who. Nobody speaks to one another. There is no talking. Nobody is together. Everyone is alone.]

 

Leon [pained]

My head… I can’t— 

 

Brian Brown—Ian DePriest (distant)

Excuse me? I’m late for a meeting in Davis Square, and the other car is crowded. Do you mind if I—uhh—enter your… train house?

 

Leon

That voice. I—I recognize it. 

 

[A distant murmur of Michael—barely recognizable, if at all—dog panting/the jingling of a collar.]

 

Michael Tate—James Oliva

Behind the ears and under the chin, got it! Got it! (laughs)

 

Leon

Was… that…?

 

[Static. Distantly we hear earlier exchanges, as if recorded.]

 

Narrator—Alexander Danner

Ghost of a human.

 

Leon

A human ghost.

 

[Sound montage fades out into Red Line apartment]

 

Isaiah Powell—Mario da Rosa Jr.[over walkie]
Warsaw? You okay? Copy?

Gemma
We’re fine. That was a close one. But someone helped us out. We’re gonna see this Redugee off. Rendezvous later.
[Turns off walkie.]
Thanks, pal.

Dimitri Stamatis—James Johnston
No problem. Glad I could help. Looks like I showed up right on time.

Gemm
How’d you know I was in a jam?

Dimitri
I didn’t. Just luck. I’ve been poking my head out of every stop in Red Line for the last couple of days. I figured I’d get lucky eventually.

Gemma
Things usually work out that way for you?

Dimitri
Yeah, kinda!

Gemma
Huh. Must be nice. You’re Leon Stamatis’s brother, right?

Leon (overlayed)
Please, Gemma. Pick me up. Tell him about me.

Dimitri
I am. Did you know Leon?

Gemma
I never met him while he was alive, no.

Dimitri
Have you met my sister? If possible, I’d really like to visit her after we finish our work today. It’s been a while and– 

 

[A swirl of static and noise—other narrations filtering in. Static. Noise. ]

Leon
No. Wait! NO! 

 

[The static and narration thin out to one lone line of static.]

 

Petal [distant, recorded] 

So. Goodbye.

 

Rocket & Wrestling 1

 

[Driving sound, tires on road underlining the loneliness of the last scene. And then, Michael.]

 

Michael Tate—James Oliva [narrating]

 

It’s weird, driving to the house of the guy who tried to kill you. Wait, did he try to kill me actually? Or did he not even think about it? It’s not like he came at me with a knife. It was like he came at me with uhh… negligence. That seems like a… like a…

[To Louisa]

What’s the word that means like…. odd couple words? Jumbo shrimp? Military intelligence? 

 

Louisa Alvarez—Julia Propp

Oxymoron?

 

Michael

AH! Thanks!

[Narrating] That seems like an oxymoron. But so much of what I know about Oliver feels like an oxymoron. Especially the latter part… of that word. They did give me food for a while, although I picked up from my mindmeld with Leon that was Phil’s idea. Weird how a lot of those little fragments are still with me. 

 

Louisa

Whatcha thinking about?

 

Michael

How weird this is.

 

Louisa

I mean, yeah. We’re about to meet the widow of the guy who kept you prisoner for a year.

 

Michael

Yeah. I read some of her letters to him. I keep telling myself that she was another one of his victims. 

 

Louisa

That’s probably fair. 

 

Michael

But at the same time… she was married to him. He lived in this house. Did she know the kinds of things he was doing? 

 

Louisa

Sometimes people just don’t know each other. Even in a marriage,  after years together. It happens.

[Parking the car. Pause]

Hey, if you feel like you need to tap out at any point, just say the word.

 

Michael

I appreciate that. What word, though?

 

Louisa

What?

 

Michael

What word?

 

Louisa

Oxymoron?

 

Michael

No, like. What word should we use? The word. If, you know, you know, if I need to… tap out. 

 

Louisa

Oh! You want like… an actual…

 

Michael

…like an actual…

 

Louisa

…an actual word!

 

Michael

Yeah!

 

Louisa

That’s not a bad idea. What’s your word of choice?

 

Michael

Mmm. Arugula.

 

Louisa

Arugula? Okay, arugula it is. If at any point you feel overwhelmed and need to tap out, just say “arugula.”

 

Michael

Perfect.

 

Louisa

Okay, here we go.

 

[Doorbell. A couple of small dogs yap. Slightly awkward silence as we wait.]

 

Ada West—Julian Danner [behind door]

Mooom, someone’s at the door!

 

Autumn West—Beth Eyre [distant, behind door]

I heard; I’ll be there in just a moment!

 

Ada [behind door]

Mommy’s on her way, Person at Door!

 

Michael[shouting through door]

Thank you!

 

Ada [behind door]

She’s in the bathroom!

 

Michael [amused, shouting through door]

That’s fine, we’ll wait!

 

Autumn [distant, behind door]

They don’t need to know that!

 

Louisa [laughing in sympathetic mortification]

Oh my god…

 

[Another moment, then footsteps. The dogs get a little chaotic again. The door is unlocked and opened.]

 

Autumn

I’m so sorry about that!

 

Louisa

No worries.

 

Autumn

Ada can be a little…

 

Michael

Adorable! Really, there’s nothing to apologize for.

 

Louisa

You’re Autumn West?

 

Autumn

That’s right.

 

Louisa

We’re here from The Underground. You left a message for Chuck Octagon?

 

Autumn

Yes, please come in! Do you mind dogs? I can put them away if necessary.

 

Michael

Nah, so long as they like scritches, I’m sure we’ll be friends.

 

Autumn

Wonderful, they both adore scritches, so you should get along famously. Come on, you lot, back up, let them in…

 

Louisa

So, I’m Louisa Alvarez, and this is Michael Tate. Michael is our writer; I do research and photography.

 

[Michael and Louisa enter, navigating around the dogs. The door closes behind them.]

 

Michael

Hey, puppers! Oh, hey! Yeah, there you go! And some for you too!

 

Ada

You should scratch Felix under the chin and Tom behind the ears. Those are their favorites.

 

Michael

Behind the ears and under the chin, got it!

 

[Michael gets a little caught up in playing with the dogs. Puppy endearments.]

 

Autumn

Aww, look at those happy boys!

 

Louisa

Yeah, all four of them! Uh, Michael, maybe we should, you know…

 

Micael

Right! Right. Sorry, guys, I’m supposed to be working.

 

Autumn

Ada, could you go play in your room a while? We’re going to have a grown-up talk.

 

Ada

Ugh, grown-ups!

 

Michael

I know, right?

 

Ada

Well, don’t talk too loud, or I’ll still hear you from my room.

 

[Ada exits.]

 

Autumn

Come right in here, have a seat. Would you like some tea?

 

Louisa

I think we’re fine.

 

Michael [almost simultaneous] 

Only if you’re having some too.

 

Autumn

I could use a bite, to be honest. Missed breakfast this morning. Please, sit. I’ll be just a moment. 

 

[Autumn exits.]

 

Letter Interruption 1

 

[Echoey environment—jail noises—clanging of cells and distant murmurs. Buzzing as cell doors swing open and shut far in the distance.]

 

Nica Stamatis—Kelly McCabe

Dear Dimitri,

The last time I wrote you a letter, I slipped it inside a bottle and tossed it off the Longfellow Bridge into the Charles. I watched it bob in the water and flow towards the ocean. Someone found it. I never thought they would. I certainly didn’t think you would. Your plan when you set out on your adventure—sorry, our plan—was to go west. Well, that was the direction I threw the bottle in, at least. The current had other ideas. The current pushed the bottle below the bridge, below where I was standing. I lost sight of it after that. The Longfellow had too much traffic to cross and try to spot it from the other side. Plus, some guy came up and asked me the time or directions or something. I don’t remember. I was pretty distraught and too busy trying to keep track of that bottle floating in the water. Like… like it was my last hope of joining you. Even though I was pissed when I wrote it, I figured you’d appreciate my method of delivery. But of course it didn’t reach you. If you sent someone a letter in a bottle, it would reach whoever you wanted to send it to. Me? My bottle went in the opposite direction of where you were, to a boat anchored on a literal island trash fire, into the hands of a charlatan. Too perfect. At least it didn’t sink.

 

I’m writing to let you know I’ve been thinking a lot about your last visit. I’ve written down some of my favorite moments of the Stamatis Family News Hour. That time we biked around the block looking for news to report. Mud fight in Fresh Pond. Bike accident across from Rindge Field. And what’s the deal with that weird house that looks like three overlapping trapezoids stacked on top of one another on Clifton Street? Now here’s Leon with the weather. Some of those monologues I would perform? I’d think back to those moments when we made those tapes. I’d talk about how I always knew I was going to become famous, how I just always loved to perform, be the center of attention, attract all those celebrities I would randomly bump into. All of that started with the Stamatis Family News Hour. 

 

But all of that is over now. I know you said you’d get me out of here one way or another. But the fact is, that’s not going to happen. I’m in a Red Line jail awaiting a Red Line trial for betraying the Red Line mayor who hates me. Nothing is going to go my way. 

 

Red Line Guard—Ray O’Hare

Nica Stamatis?

 

Nica

Yes?

 

Guard

Who ya talking to?

 

Nica

Uh, nobody. I was writing a letter. I like to… say what I’m writing out loud. Can I… help you?

 

Guard

Visitor. 

 

Nica

Who?

 

Guard

Visitor. 

 

Nica

‘Kay, great. 

 

[Door buzzes and swings open. Nica and the guard walk to the visiting center. More buzzers, doors, opening and closing. Nica picks up a payphone.]

 

Nica [cont’d]

Hello?

 

Omi Owagawa—Julia Morizawa

Omi Owagawa, attorney at law. Do you like Star Trek?

 

Nica

Uh, what?

 

Omi

Star Trek. Do you like Star Trek?

 

Nica

Who are you?

 

Omi

Omi Owagawa. Esquire. 

 

Nica

I don’t really know Star Trek. That was more my brother’s show. 

 

Omi

I met Dimitri. He’s who asked me to meet you and begged me to represent you for your trial. I assume you haven’t hired a lawyer yet. Have you met with your public defender?

 

Nica

There was a guy they sent asking if I’d consent to being defended by him. I decided to stand silent.  

 

Omi

Well. I’ve been thinking on the way over here about Star Trek. There’s this concept, this test, called the Kobayashi Maru. It’s basically a no-win scenario. Guaranteed to fail. That’s how I feel about your case. 

 

Nica

Great.

 

Omi

I mean, am I wrong? You pissed off a nuclear warhead of a woman in control of an entire political infrastructure. She’s gonna corrupt this all to shit until the best legal defense in the world couldn’t exonerate you. So. The Kobayashi Maru. Imagine this trial is a metaphor. You’re on a spaceship. You with me?

 

Nica

Sure.

 

Omi

It’s a spaceship, and there’s an emergency. An enemy ship filled with evil Bespins is attacking your craft. They’ve got you outgunned. Admiral Red Line says, “You’re up Commander Nica. Head to the bridge and take control.”

 

Nica

The… bridge?

 

Omi

You know, the command center with the big screen. Where the magic happens? 

 

Nica

The big chair?

 

Omi

The big chair! So you’re sitting in the big chair and you’re trying everything. Navigation. Tractor beams. Transporter. Phasers, photon torpedoes. Nothing works. The Bespins won’t relent. Your crew is looking desperate. The Bespins hail you. Prepare to be boarded. Surrender? Nah. Surrender won’t matter. No survivors. You are, for lack of a better term? Royally space fucked. [Pause.] What do you do? [Pause.] Come on, I know it’s far-fetched, but you gotta give me something. 

 

Nica

I… give up, I guess?

 

Omi

Sure. Of course. There’s no way out. You’ve gotta give up. But how do you give up? [Pause.] Let me flesh this out for you a little more. This ship is filled with evil alien Bespins. Think Emily and Ethan but infinitely more sadistic, armed with laser guns that are going to rip you and everyone you know to shreds. Slowly. For fun. You. Can not. Win. When losing is your only option, you need to decide how you’re going to lose. So, Nica. How are you going to lose?

 

Nica

Crew? Head to the emergency… escape… things…

 

Omi

Escape pods, shuttles, sure.

 

Nica

Escape shuttles. Evacuate the ship!

 

Omi

And?

 

Nica

Spaceship… steering… person?

 

Omi

Helm.

 

Nica

Helm! Give me control. 

 

Omi

Now we’re talking. And?

 

Nica

I’m gonna ram this sucker right into their ship!

 

Omi

[Claps hands.] THERE we go! That’s what I’m talking about. I was thinking about this for a few days and at first I was going to come and meet you and say “sorry, kid.” Because I gotta be real with you. This is one big fat Kobayashi fucking Maru. But if we’re going down? Let’s ram our ship into theirs, breach their hull, and do some damage of our own. Let’s take some of them with us. What do you say? 

 

Nica

I can’t… pay you.

 

Omi

Pro bono. I live in a theme park because I stood by my best friend when she showed massive principles. I’m used to it. I’ll get by. 

 

Nica

Then I say… beam me up, Omi! 

 

Omi

[Laughs.] You know? I like you more than I thought I would. 

 

Rocket & Wrestling 2

 

Louisa Alvarez—Julia Propp

Hey. You doing okay?

 

Michael Tate—James Oliva

Holy cheese, check out that poster!

 

Louisa

Uh, okay.

 

Michael

Mick Foley! She’s got a framed Mick Foley!

 

Louisa

I don’t know who that is.

 

Michael

You know, from the ‘90s!

 

Louisa

Of course, that one guy from the ‘90s. I remember him.

 

[Autumn reenters with a tray holding a teapot and a plate of tiny sandwiches.]

 

Autumn West—Beth Eyre

Here we go!

 

Louisa

Oo, finger sandwiches. So posh!

 

Autumn

Oh, it’s nothing so grand, just a regular afternoon tea.

 

Michael

I can’t believe you’ve got a framed Mick Foley poster!

 

Autumn

Well, why wouldn’t I—he was the best!

 

Michael

I mean… yeah! It’s… it’s SIGNED!

 

Autumn

It certainly is. I met him!

 

Michael

I didn’t know you even had wrestling in the UK. That is so cool.

 

Autumn

I had a friend in the US who recorded her favorite matches and posted the VHS tapes to me!

 

Michael

That is a very good friend.

 

[Everyone takes seats. We can hear them preparing tea as they continue to talk.]

 

Autumn

I know! It’s nice to be able to hang that poster again. I couldn’t have it while Oliver was around.

 

Louisa

He was controlling?

 

Autumn

No, actually, though I can understand why you’d expect that, especially if you’d met him. Have you met him?

 

Louisa

I haven’t.

 

Michael

I… did. But that’s a long story. Your husband and I have a difficult history of our own.

 

Autumn

Most people do. He couldn’t even get along with a guy on a poster. He felt like Mick was looking at him and maybe wanted to beat him up. Eventually, I took the poster down because I just couldn’t bear to see Oliver watching Mick over his shoulder with such apprehension all the time. Honestly, I should have guessed things wouldn’t work out when I found out who his favorite was.

 

Michael

Oh god, if you tell me it was Vince McMahon…

 

Autumn

Yes, Vince McMahon!

 

Louisa

Also don’t know who that is.

 

Michael

He literally owned the whole thing, the wrestling federation, and insisted on inserting himself into the story as a villain. But, like… that was just him. He acted like it was an act, but it wasn’t, not really. He was just awful, a rich asshole, not even a fun character.

 

Louisa

And that was Oliver’s favorite?

 

Autumn

Oliver had some…eccentricities.

 

Louisa

I think probably even more than you were aware of.

 

Autumn

Considering how little we saw of him those last couple of years, I don’t doubt it. And that’s why I contacted Mr. Octagon. There’s very little of his life that I was aware of by the end, and what little I do know I learned by watching the news myself. And frankly, it was all quite shocking. Apparently he kept a man prisoner in his office for an entire year!

 

Michael

Oh….

 

Louisa

Yeah…

 

Michael

So, actually, that long story I mentioned? That was it. That’s the long story.

 

Autumn

Wait, you mean you’re…

 

Michael

Yeah.

 

Autumn

My god, I’m so…

 

Michael

No, no, no, it’s fine! I’m fine! Mostly. But there’s nothing for you to apologize for. I only mention it because I don’t want to mislead you or for you to feel like I purposely concealed it from you.

 

Autumn

I understand. But that’s still… just awful.

 

Michael

I appreciate your concern, Autumn. But, that’s part of my investment in this investigation.

 

Autumn

I just… I mean, I knew it happened. But now… meeting you. The reality of the things my husband did…

 

Michael

I understand. If you need a moment to process just, you know, say the word. 

 

[A brief silence. Louisa takes a sandwich to eat.]

 

Louisa

So… this sandwich is really good.

 

Autumn

Lovely—I’m glad you’re enjoying it.

 

Louisa

These leaves are kind of peppery.

 

Autumn

Yes, that’s rocket for you. Rocket sandwiches are a teatime staple for us.

 

Louisa

Rocket? Is that what it’s called? Oh, that’s fun.

 

Autumn

Oh, you’ve probably had it before, but they call it something else in the US. Oh… what is it?

 

Michael

Yeah, that’s right, we call it ar… uuhhh.

 

Louisa

What?

 

Michael

Huh? I… I can’t say.

 

Autumn

You don’t know?

 

Michael

No. I… I know.

 

Louisa

You know it, but you can’t say it?

 

Michael

Right.

 

Autumn

Is it a tongue twister?

 

Michael

No, it’s just… I mean, I can say it. I just shouldn’t. Or at least, I don’t need to.

 

Louisa

Why not? 

 

Michael

Because I feel fine.

 

Autumn

So… you know the name of the lettuce, and you could tell us, but you don’t need to tell us because you feel fine?

 

Michael

Exactly.

 

Autumn

I’m very confused.

 

Louisa

Me too.

 

Michael

Yeah, I thought we’d avoided that, but man, I just did not anticipate rocket sandwiches! 

 

Letter Interruption 2

 

[Red Line jail environ.]

 

Nica Stamatis—Kelly McCabe

Right. Okay. Letter to Dimitri. Where was I? 

 

Narrator—Alexander Danner

Now where was she…

 

Nica

Oh, yeah.

 

Narrator

Oh, yes.

 

[Writing.]

 

Nica

I know you want to get me out of here, Dimitri. And I appreciate that. But there is no “out of here.”  This cell is just a manifestation of who I am, of my life. Just like that message in a bottle, no matter how hard I throw those thoughts, the current of my life will carry it in the opposite direction.

 

I know you probably think this sounds defeatist and self-loathing. Please don’t pity me but also don’t condescend to me either. Please understand that these feelings are real. They very much exist outside of your experience. And so I understand now they’re hard for you to understand. That doesn’t make them any less real. I don’t blame you anymore for leaving without me. I don’t blame you for not being here when Leon died, for not going to my shows. For all of that, I blame myself. And whatever resentment I might have once had for you? I forgive you for it now. I forgive you and I— 

 

Ernesto—Giancarlo Herrera
Excuse me. 

 

Nica

AH! 

 

Ernesto

Yeah, I, uhh—I’m here. I’m your cell neighbor. My name is Ernesto. 

 

Nica

How long have you been there?

 

Ernesto

About three weeks. But I don’t think we’ve had the chance to talk before. I’m usually working. 

Nica
Wait—they—oh. They enrolled you in the Red Line rehabilitation program.

Ernesto
Exactly. Paying off my sentence with free labor.

Nica
I remember when I first heard about that. I thought someone, somewhere would stop her. Someone with more power. 

 

Ernesto

Well. At least I got to meet some celebrities. The handsome fella and his talkative friend?

Nica
You were here with Matt Damon and Ben Affleck?

Ernesto
Yes. I really like Ben’s Dunkin’ Donuts ad. The one where the guy steps outside with four cups of iced Dunks and nearly drops them all.

 

Nica

I’ve never seen that ad. 

 

Ernesto

And then he goes, “Well, I might have to change my name to DROP-Achino!”

Nica
That doesn’t make any sense!

Ernesto
No. But neither does the everpresent dominance of Dunkin’ Donuts in the local coffee landscape. Anyway, I was enjoying your story, but I wasn’t sure how much I was supposed to hear. And I couldn’t help myself when you got to the part about forgiveness. 

 

Nica

Why is that?

 

Ernesto

I don’t know you or your situation, but I do know something about forgiveness, and especially something about how we’re all taught to forgive people all the time. Forgiveness is important. I believe that. But nobody should be in such a rush to do it. Not if they’re not ready. For the words and feelings of forgiveness to mean something—the words have to have power behind them. Otherwise, they’re just words. So don’t just write it and say it if you don’t mean it. Feel it. Or don’t say it. Don’t write it. If you don’t feel it, it’s just a performance, you know? 

 

Narrator

Nica looked down at her letter. She picked up her pencil and brought the lead to the last couple of lines. 

 

Nica

Yeah. Yeah, I do know. I—I’m not sure if I forgive him or not. I think I do. I want to at least. But it’s confusing because—because I’m not sure he’s the one I need to forgive anymore. 

 

Ernesto

All I’m saying is there’s no rush. Maybe hold off on it until you know for sure. 

 

Nica

Thanks. And sorry for bothering you. It’s an old habit from when I used to perform monologues. When I write I say everything out loud just so I know how it sounds.

 

Ernesto

No problem. I was enjoying it. You’re good!

 

Nica

Yeah?

Ernesto
You’re a natural.

[Pause.]

Nica
Ernesto? I’m really sorry you’re in here and that they’re making you work. It’s not right. How long did they say you had to work off your debt?

Ernesto
They didn’t. The thing about most debts is the harder you work to clear them, the more they have a habit of growing. Right?

Nica
Yeah. I guess they do. 

 

ROCKET & WRESTLING 3

 

[Door closes. Louisa and Michael are walking back to their car, each carrying boxes of documents.]

 

Louisa Alvarez—Julia Propp

Thank you so much, Ms. West. It’ll take us some time to get through all the documents you’ve provided, but we’ll let you know if we find anything significant. 

 

Autumn

I’m glad I could help, Ms. Alvarez. Michael.

 

Michael Tate—James Oliva

It was good to meet you, Autumn. Ada too, of course.

 

Autumn

If I can do anything more, please don’t hesitate to call.

 

Michael

Thank you so much. But we’ll try not to be a bother.

 

Autumn

Oh, it’s no bother. Not at all. You have my number; please use it.

 

Louisa

We’ll be in touch.

 

[Door closes. Louisa and Michael are walking back to their car, each carrying boxes of documents.]

 

Louisa

So. So, so, so.

 

Michael

What?

 

Louisa [sing-song]

You liiiike heerrrr!

 

Michael

What! No. What?

 

Louisa

Oh, please, you’re an open book.

 

Michael

Whatever.

 

[They reach the car and load the boxes into the trunk.]

 

Louisa

She likes you, too.

 

Michael

No way, come on. 

 

Louisa

My dude, she was totally into you. Totally.

 

[They get into the car, pulling the doors shut.]

 

Michael

Really? No. You think so?

 

Louisa

Michael, that girl absolutely wants to take you wrestling…

 

Michael

Louisa!

 

Louisa

…put you down on the mat all night long…

 

Michael

OH MY GOD STOP!

 

Louisa

…teach you all about the piledriver…

 

Michael

Arugula!

 

Louisa

Ugh, okay, fine.

 

Michael

That’s what was in the sandwich, by the way. 

 

Louisa

What? Oh. Arugula? Oh. OHHH. Arugula. 

 

Michael

Yeah. [Pause, then wistful] Yeah.

 

LETTER INTERRUPTION 3

 

[Prison environ.]

 

Narrator—Alexander Danner

Nica picked up her pencil. The guards had taken Ernesto to his shift not too long ago. But…

Nica Stamatis—Kelly McCabe
Not sure I’m in the headspace to finish this now.

Narrator
Oh, but you want to so badly. Don’t you, Nica? Your brother is coming to visit you, you know. Now would be a great time.

 

[Nica sighs. She continues to handwrite.]

 

Nica

I’d be lying if I said I didn’t deserve this, Dimitri. I do. It’s not even as lonely as you might think. I just met a… person who has been here for weeks, right in the cell next door. Oddly enough, my cell reminds me of the Red Line; it’s crowded around by so many people but with invisible walls cutting us all off. Invisible rules. I’ve talked to more people in jail than I ever did in Red Line. And somehow I am still meeting celebrities. Yes, even in jail. 

 

Oh my god, I can’t believe I haven’t told you about my cell mates, Ben Affleck and Matt Damon. Well, not cell-mates, but—cell… neighbors? Anyway, they got released to do commercials for Red Line or something. I don’t think I’ll be as lucky. They’re very different from how I imagined they’d be, which just underlines another thought I’ve been having lately. Maybe I should stop imagining so much. Maybe the reason I keep getting disappointed in life is because I can’t stop imagining how things will be. 

 

I thought I would be someone. I thought I would be famous. I thought that I would join you on one of your adventures. I thought that I would make Leon happy after his breakup with Louisa. I thought that I’d teach Red Line a lesson. I thought that  I’d help people as some kind of spy. I’d thought that  I’d be a hero. When all of those thoughts turn out to be the opposite, when they don’t pan out the way I imagined? It makes me wish I never had any of these thoughts at all. 

 

So much of how I feel lately comes back to the same thing. The same lie I’ve been telling myself since we recorded The Stamatis Family News Hour.

 

I thought I would be more than this. 

 

I know what you’d say. There’s still time, and then you’d talk about all the good things I’m gonna do once I’m out of here. That’s a nice thought. But I don’t trust nice thoughts anymore. These cell bars are as certain as the current carrying me back to the Atlantic, strong as the tide. I’m tired of fighting it. Tired of swimming. Breaking the waves, looking for a break of green shoreline when my heart knows it’s time to just sink to the bottom. I used to think that  I could swim long enough to find my own beautiful little island.

 

I used to think… I would be more than this. I used to believe it. 

 

[Red Line guard approaches.]

 

Red Line Guard—Ray O’Hare [loudly]

Stamatis. Visitor. 

 

Nica

Right. 

 

Narrator

For the second time in one day, Nica walked to the visiting area, now finding Dimitri behind the protective glass. She smiled when she saw him, but it was the same kind of smile she’d been practicing for too long.

 

Gemma Linzer-Coolidge—Lydia Anderson

The kid’s sister comes out and slumps in her seat, picks up the phone. Her body language tells the truth her smile hides. 

 

[Sound of two-way phones being picked up.]

 

Leon Stamatis—Braden Lamb

Gemma. Please… please tell them…

 

Nica[picking up phone]

Hi, Dimitri. What’s she doing here?

 

Dimitri Stamatis—James Johnston

This is Gemma Linzer-Coolidge. 

 

Nica

I know who she is. 

 

Narrator

As usual, Nica fixated on the glass separating her and her brother. The transparent barrier made her feel like she was her own letter trapped inside a bottle bobbing in the water.

 

Leon

That is not what you are, Nica. You are as free as you choose to be. 

 

Narrator

Says the spirit trapped behind his own glass. 

 

Leon

Crystal is not glass. 

 

Narrator

Semantics. How trite.

 

Gemma

Told you this was a bad idea.

 

Dimitri

She… she’s helping things in Red Line. Fighting for the people under Emily’s regime. And I’m joining her. We already helped people this morning. I was sick of sitting around not doing enough. I tried to convince the folks at Wonderland to get you some legal help, but I wanted to do more. I guess you could say you inspired me, Nica. 

 

Nica

That’s… that’s…

[}ause.]

That’s great, Dimitri. You’re going to do great things in Red Line. You’re going to help people. I have no doubt. 

 

Dimitri

Just like you did. 

 

Nica

[Scoffs.] Right. 

 

Dimitri

Hey. You risked your safety to provide really important information, information that got a man being held captive illegally freed, among other things.

 

Gemma

He’s right. Without your intel, we’d be a lot farther behind than we are. And the reason I’m here is to… thank you for it. 

 

Leon

Yes. It was your first lead on recovering me. Please let me speak to them…

 

Gemma

If you two need a moment, just say the word. 

 

Nica

No. It’s okay. I appreciate what you’re saying, both of you. And I did meet with Omi earlier. 

 

Dimitri

Did she help you with a solid legal strategy?

 

Nica

You could say that. Dimitri, I want to give you something. 

[to Red Line guard]Can I send this through?

 

[Red Line guard picks up token and inspects it.]

 

Guard

Clear. 

 

[Nica places token in document transfer and sends it to the other side.]

 

Dimitri

Your T token. From the puzzle box. 

 

Nica

Now that you’re in Red Line doing this work, I think it’s appropriate that you have it. 

 

Dimitri

Okay. Okay, Nica. But if that’s the case, you’re going to take this. 

 

[Dimitri sends the little submarine through the document transfer and Nica plucks it out.]

 

Nica

Your little submarine. 

 

Narrator

Perfect, Nica thought. Something that sinks in the water. 

 

Dimitri

Because when you get out of here, you’re going on adventures too. We both are. Right after the two of us find Leon. He’s still out there and we’re going to find him together. 

 

Gemma[narrating]

It’s tough, listening to these two bringing up Leon and knowing… knowing…

 

Narrator

Gemma slid her hand towards her purse…

 

Leon

You—?

 

Narrator

She thought about gripping the ball. Bringing it out. Letting the siblings have a reunion of sorts. 

 

Leon

Why are you—?

 

Narrator

But no. If she told Dimitri and Nica about Leon, would their collaboration be over? She needed Leon’s help. For the work they were doing. For the greater good. 

 

[To Leon] Shame, isn’t it Leon? All the progress Gemma was making, that they were all making. But in the end, it all comes back to thinking of themselves. 

 

Leon

Gemma, fight it. Listen to me. Please tell them I’m here, prove that voice in your head wrong.

 

Narrator

Oh, am I wrong? We’ll see. But the board is looking a little more clear of pieces on your end, wouldn’t you say? And what Gemma doesn’t know is you might not be as useful as you used to be. Isn’t that right? 

 

[Static trickles in, slowly at first, but then louder. The sound design from the beginning of the episode filters in, separate routines, now later in the day, not narrated but idiosyncratic soundscapes, one at a time.]

 

Narrator

I warned you. You’d need to do all of them. But it’s too much for you, isn’t it? There is no order here. There’s only noise. 

 

Leon

ARGH!

 

[Sound cuts off abruptly.]

 

Nica

Thank you for visiting. I want you to know that no matter what happens, I appreciate it.

 

Dimitri

No matter what happens? What’s going to happen?

 

Nica

This trial? I’m… I’m going to lose. 

 

Dimitri

No. With Omi’s help, I really think you—

 

Nica

I’m guilty. No matter what, at the end of the day, no matter what I did to make up for it, I did bad things. Just ask your new friend Gemma. She’ll be the first to tell you. How close I came to hurting her. Hurting her family. Right?

 

Gemma

I—I… yes. But you don’t deserve—

 

Nica

Deserve doesn’t really matter in Emily’s Red Line. 

[Pause.]

Do you still have Leon’s token? The crystal ball?

 

Dimitri

Yes.

 

Nica

Would you do something for me? Would you give it to Michael? He wrote this letter to me when he was… well… when things weren’t looking good. Before you saved him. And I finally read it the other day. It reminded me I never got the chance to apologize to him. I was pretty awful to Michael. Before he disappeared for a while there. I pushed him away because I was scared. Not of him. Of myself. Of what I was doing. Or not doing enough of. And I just wasn’t sure it was safe to let anyone in. But he was so decent. And he loved Leon so much. Just as much as we both did. I think… I think maybe he’s meant to have it. 

 

Dimitri

Sure. I’ll give it to him. I think he’d like that. [Pause.] Nica. Do you think these little trinkets matter? Do you think they really predicted the future?

 

Nica

Yes. 

 

Narrator

Nica picked up the submarine and put it right in front of her right eye, inspecting the intricate details carefully. 

 

Nica

And I think they still do. 

 

Credits

Greater Boston is created by Alexander Danner and Jeff Van Dreason with help from T.H. Ponders, Bob Raymonda, and Jordan Stillman. Recording and technical assistance from Marck Harmon.

This episode was written and sound designed by Alexander Danner and Jeff Van Dreason. Dialogue editing by Bob Raymonda.

Portions of this episode were recorded at The Bridge Sounds and Stage with recording engineers Javier Lom and Alex Alinson.

CAST

This episode featured:

• Braden Lamb as Leon Stamatis (he/him)
• Jenny Pan as Petal (she/her & they/them)
• Oliver Morris as The Singer (he/them)
• Jordan Higgs as Cheese Bot (it/them)
• Mario de Rosa Jr as Isaiah Washington (he/them)
• Lydia Anderson as Gemma Linzer-Coolidge (she/her)
• James Johnston as Dimitri Stamatis (he/him)
• James Oliva as Michael Tate (he/him)
• Julia Propp as Louisa Alvarez (she/her)
• Julian Danner as Ada West (he/him)
• Beth Eyre as Autumn West (she/her)
• Kelly McCabe as Nica Stamatis (she/her)
• Ray O’Hare as Red Line Guard (he/him)
• Julia Morizawa as Omi Ogawa (she/her)
• Alexander Danner as The Narrator (he/him)
• and Giancarlo Herrera as Ernesto (he/him)

MUSIC

• Charlie on the MTA recorded by Emily Peterson and Dirk Tiede
• Farewell to Nigg by Adrienne Howard, Emily Peterson, and Dirk Tiede
• Weird synths and drum programming by Jeff Van Dreason

You can support us on Patreon at Patreon.com/GreaterBoston

 

Cookie

 

James Oliva
Taste the biscuit… taste the goodness of the biscuit… taste that honey sauce!

Braden Lamb [singing]
Takin’ a plane break! Makin’ a drain snake!