Ten Minutes Ago

08. Dancing, Gas and a Familiar Face

INT. DINER

Patrons murmured and a man sighed.

"Gotta hit the head," a man said.

Klaus quickly joined Dave's table and sat across from him.

"Hey!" Dave exclaimed. "Mamie Pink, right?"

"Klaus Hargreeves, but you can call me whatever you want," Klaus said.

"How's she lookin'?" Klaus looked at him weirdly. "The latrine?"

"Listen to me. I have to talk to you about something important."

"Okay?"

"Okay. This is gonna sound kinda crazy, but, uh..." he sighed. "I know you."

"Uh, yeah, sure. From the hardware store."

"No, from before. Well, after, actually. Listen, I know you're thinking about enlisting, thinking it's your duty 'cause your grandfather fought in World War I and your father fought in World War II, and that guy you're eating with is your uncle Ryan who fought in Korea."

"Brian."

"Brian. And you look up to Brian. And you're starting to believe all this stuff he's saying about the military making you a man."

Dave chuckled. "Is this a joke or something?"

"Dave, if you enlist, they're gonna send you out to Vietnam."

"The heck are you talking about?"

"Fifty thousand American soldiers and a million Vietnamese..." he chuckled, "...all die for nothing, because the dominoes aren't gonna topple, Dave. The communists aren't gonna invade all of East Asia."

Brian returned. "Says you."

"So..." Klaus clasped his hands together. "Oh. Hey, Brian."

Brian looked at Dave. "You know this... clown?"

"Um, he bought pink paint at the store," Dave replied.

"Pink paint." Brian chuckled. "Makes sense."

Klaus looked at him. "You know, pink can actually be very masculine in the right setting."

"Is that right? How 'bout you get outta my seat, queer."

"Oh, wow." Klaus hit the table with his fist. "If I had a nickel for every time I heard that." He was pulled from his seat and pushed. "Ooh! Oh!" he chuckled as Brian sat across from Dave. "Whoa! Ooh!" he laughed. "Whoo! Take it easy there, Brian." He sighed. "I just need five minutes of your time, Dave."

"You gonna just sit there and listen to this pansy?"

"You don't have to join to become a man."

"Hit the queer."

"Don't sacrifice yourself."

"Hit him, damn it."

"'Cause I love you."

"Hit him!"

"I love you."

"Hit the queer!"

"And I know there's a day you'll love..."

"Hit him! Hit him!"

Dave stood and punched Klaus who cried, "Oh!"

Patrons gasped and murmured.

Klaus panted softly, holding his face. He left. Ben looked at his brother.

Klaus ran from the restaurant.