Midsummer nights

A diner filled with patrons eating breakfast and lunch. Telly sits alone in the corner, with a newspaper and dictating into his phone.

TELLY: The actual meeting was scary. When he looked at me I froze. It’s like there was an aura of menace, but also I could tell he wanted me to get in —

WAITRESS: Good morning, what can I get for y’all? [note: relocate Michigan to the South, or reset the story, depending on budget]

TELLY: Could I just get a Sprite?

WAITRESS: Smile, hon! Why so glum?

TELLY: [smiling] Oh I’m sorry, just working on some stuff here, thought I’d multitask.

The waitress nods.

WAITRESS: Well, I’ll be your server, you just holler if you decide you need anything to eat, okay?

TELLY: Actually, could I get a slice of apple pie?

WAITRESS: Sure thing, you want ice cream too?

TELLY: Yes, thank you.

She walks away.

TELLY: [into phone] Character. It felt.. very real. And I need him to think it’s real too, of course, so I guess we’re all acting in some ways. In fact, Al Capone, at the height of his —

WAITRESS: Apple pie, scoop of vanilla, and a Sprite. You enjoy.

Telly notices the jukebox is playing a song he likes. But we the audience do not. It’s a band infamous for their lipsyncing scandal that crashed their rising fame overnight, back when such things were scandalous.

Telly puts down his phone, takes a bite of pie, and looks down at the newspaper, which … whose… that… whatever has the headline BLACKOUT GRIPS EAST COAST.