Like Augustine -- Scene 2
[Camera follows Simon's car from the street as it pulls into a driveway, turns left, and parks. As he parks, the camera pans 180 degrees to the right, focusing on a storefront, topped with a sign reading "The Shepherd's Shoppe" and then continues the circle to find Simon exiting his car. The camera zooms in on him as he begins walking through the parking lot, keeping him on the left of the screen as the rest of the screen focuses on the busyness of the street behind him and the emptiness of the parking lot around him. It's about 5 PM on a autumn day, so the darkness has begun to creep into the sky.]
Simon: [not looking into the camera, but wistfully gazing in the open sky as he mumbles to himself and strolls around the parking lot] I'm not even sure why I'm here right now. I don't want to be here, but I just feel kinda stuck here. Where's here? This store, where I've worked for 6 years now. Why else would I feel stuck here? I guess that would be why I feel stuck, but I also realize that I'm the one who keeps me stuck here. Of course, if I knew a way out, I would think that I'd have taken that way out by now. But I haven't and that's my problem. I still feel connected to this place for positive reasons, very positive ones. Here's the issue at hand though -- I think that most days, the negatives outweigh the positives in terms of number and severity of the issues at hand, but I'm still here. What few positives I can grasp onto keep me in a place that I don't quite like too much. Why am I here? Seriously....
[Simon looks at his watch, notices the time, and walks briskly through the doors of the store.]
Simon: Inside this place, this job of mine, you see a rather attractive establishment. The owner of this store did a great job with the design and layout and spared no expense. It feels like a bookstore in many respects and I like that. However, this place is filled with every card & knick-knacky gift item on a stand or shelf than one would think possible. Crosses, angels, pictures, plaques, frames, figurines -- LOTS of them. Lots and lots of them, many of them the same kinds of gifts you'd find in "non-Christian" gift stores, except that these have random, out-of-context pieces of Scripture plastered onto them, instantly making them safe for Christians to buy. It's a racket, complete with the outrageous mark-ups. And I know that it's like this in the "non-Christian" retail/gift market, but that still doesn't make it right, just because everyone else is doing it.
[The camera walks through the store's displays and display areas from left to right as Simon talks. Let his conversation give and idea to the direction the camera should take as it shows what's inside the store. When he finishes with the gift talk, find Simon as he strolls through the back half of the store.]
Simon: In the other half of the store, you see rows of books, Bibles, music, t-shirts. I mean, look at this stuff! [Picks up a book of the shelf -- Joel Osteen's "Your Best Life Now!" and put into the camera] This place is crammed full of all kinds of stuff that you would think shouldn't sell because of its cheesiness, but you'd be wrong, really wrong. Why do I work here? I just don't know sometimes.
[Simon opens the door to the back room and walks in, the door closing behind him. The camera stays focused on the door, as you hear Simon's muffled voice talk to someone in the back room for a bit. After 15-20 seconds of lite conversation with the voice, Simon exits again, his shirt displaying a name tag that reads: (Top line) The Shepherd's Shoppe, (Middle line) Simon, (Bottom line) Ask me if you need help! Simon walks to the middle of the store where he stops abrubtly, still not facing the camera.]
Simon: I started working here about 6 years ago when I was in college. The job made sense: I like books, Bibles, and music, and this store sold them. All of those gifts intimidated me and they still do. The store has always felt split into 2 pieces -- the gift side and the everything else side. This store has 2 kinds of customers: those who buy mostly gifts and those who buy mostly everything else. The percentages of sales are evidence of that dichotomy, mostly because the owners and managers have set the store up that way. I mean, look at the layout of this place -- you're bombarded by gifts the instant that you walk in. You have to walk through the [fingers rise up with air quotes] "Gauntlet of Tackiness" to get to anything else, and even then, you don't always have the deepest material on these other shelves. [Picks up Rick Warren's "Purpose-Driven Life" of the shelf to his right and finally looks into the camera] Of course, there are days when I tell myself that I should leave, walk out the door, refuse to sell this junk anymore, and go sell insurance of something else that people actually need, even though THAT business is a racket as well.
Simon: I mean....
[Simon shuts up quickly as you hear the click of a door handle from the back of the store, followed by the disjointed clicking of a couple pair of high heels. You see 2 women exit the back, both dressed in attractive clothing, carrying purses and bags, obviously exiting for the day. One is older than the other and commands the hushed conversation that they're having.]
Simon: [Raising his left hand] Have a good night ladies. I'll see you tomorrow.
[The older lady presents a fake smile to Simon as the younger one says good night and gives a bit more real smile, but not by much as they walk through the gifts and out the front door.]
Simon: Now, please don't misunderstand all of these rants of mine. I do think that if I really didn't like what I do, I would have left this job. But you see, I like people -- I like talking to them, helping them, sharing with them, listening to them, and being with them. I'm a people person -- ask any of my friends, co-workers, and regular customers here. They come here because they like me, both as a retail employee who helps them select what products to buy and as a person. I don't say that because I think that I'm something special, but because I think that's what keeps me here -- I don't want to lose track of the community of people that I've built up around me. To get another job means that I'd have to start all over again, not that meeting new friends would be hard for me, but I like the connections that I've made here.
[The door swooshes open as a skinny, dark-haired guy walks in quietly, looking about for someone. Simon looks to his left at the door, his face visibly brightening as he sees who it is.]
Simon: Ethan! I'm over here, talking to myself again. What brings you in tonight?
[Ethan walks over, familiar with the store's layout, sneering at things as he passes displays]
Ethan: Hey Simon. I was bored at home and I knew you'd be bored here at work, so I decided to join you. Misery loves company.
Simon: True. And we've both spent our fair share of miserably slow nights here before.
Ethan: Right you are. Of course, I got out of here and you're still here, which I don't understand at all. You're the one with the college degree and management experience and I barely finished high school.
Simon: We've been over this before, yet you always bring it up. I guess I appreciate you challenging me continually to get out of here, but I always get self-conscious defending myself.
Ethan: It's Ok. I'll get off your back. Is there anyone here?
Simon: You know this is Tuesday night. You know that there's rarely anyone here. You know that it's so slow that I'm the only person working most week nights these days.
Ethan: Yet another reason you should leave. Business is slow here, so they don't pay you what you're worth, yet you stay.
Simon: Yeah, yeah, yeah.... Get off the soapbox Ethan. I've already been beating myself up the past couple of days talking about this stuff to you and Jackie. I stay here because of the community. I stay here because I feel a connection to the people that shop here.
Ethan: You keep saying that and I do believe you, but don't you think that you could build a better community somewhere else? Don't you think that you could build a healthier community of customers, friends, and acquaintances at a place that YOU started? You're great with people and have great ideas for building your own space. Why don't you do it?
Simon: Honestly, it's fear. I fear failure. I fear economic insecurity. I fear more than I should.
Ethan: Simon, you're already economically insecure. You live paycheck to paycheck, barely making ends meet, and you stay at a place that you don't really enjoy, simply for the few good customers that like you and come here only for you. Do you know what that means? It means that if you leave and make your own place, they'll follow you there. And on top of that, you'll bring in all of your other friends and acquaintances that don't want to shop here because of the cheesiness of most of this stuff.
Simon: I've thought about that too. I think, "What would a place look like that I would want to shop at?" What would this store keep in stock? What would it sell? Would it be a place that's run like a retail store or like a place where you just want to spend time, just with some books, music, art, and coffee for sale if you're interested? Would it stress buying things or being together?
Ethan: It would be like you, no matter if you sold anything, or just provided a space where people could go and be real with each other, without a fear of feeling weird. You'd create a place where people could belong, where they could find other people like themselves, where they could be open and honest without feeling like they're going to be persecuted for thinking differently than the mainstream, the status quo.
Simon: I love this. We're having a conversation about opening a new store totally opposite from where I currently work while I'm currently at work. Hemingway would be proud of us right about now, or would that be Kafka....
Ethan: I don't know Simon. You know that I haven't read those guys. You know that you totally lose me when you start talking about that kind of stuff. Just listen to me. Get out of here before your soul drains out of you. You've gotta get out.
[The door swooshes open again, revealing two older ladies, complete with red hats and purple shirts. Simon walks a bit away from Ethan to greet the customers.]
Simon: Good evening ladies. Thank you for coming in this evening. Could I possibly help you with anything tonight?
Lady #1: Hello there honey. No, we're just looking around for some cards and maybe something for our pastor. It's October you know -- Pastor Appreciation Month.
Simon: Oh yes ma'am. There's a good selection of cards here on your right specifically for this month. I also have a few displays here in the front with some possibly gift ideas. Let me know if you need any help.
[Ethan walks up towards Simon.]
Ethan: Hey, I'm gonna go now. It's been great talking to you. Think about what I've said. I'm just looking out for you. Have a great night.
Simon: Thanks for coming in Ethan. I appreciate all that you said because I know that you're just looking out for me. I'll see you Sunday, if not before. Maybe we should get together this Friday night if you're free.
Ethan: Oh, I'm usually the free one. It's you who always has something come up; you with all of your friends and stuff.
Simon: Hey, I always invite you along. It's you who's the recluse.
Ethan: True. And you're always trying to get me to go out in larger groups. You'll succeed one day Simon. Oh well, have a good night. Call me Friday.
Simon: Ok, buddy. I'll do that. See ya later.
[Ethan walks out the door as Simon walks behind the register. He leans across the counter, gazing blankly at the far wall. In the foreground, you hear and see the two shoppers cooing over the merchandise.]
Lady #1: Doris, isn't this just the cutest frame here? I can see Pastor loving this, especially if we put a picture of the choir or the sunday school staff in it. What do you think?
Doris: Bring it over here so I can see it Betty. I'm over here looking through these cards. Which scripture would be best for Pastor's card -- Joshua 24:15 or I Timothy 3:16?
Betty: Oh, I don't know. Just pick the one you like best. You know that the only people that will read it will be the Gift Committee that has to approve the card and his wife to see if there's a gift certificate inside.
Doris: Hmmmm.... You're probably right Betty.
Simon: Sigh....
[The scene ends as Simon reaches under the register for a book, opens it, and begins reading]
