(GK: Garrison Keillor, SS: Sue Scott, TK: Tom Keith, TR: Tim Russell, RD: Rich Dworsky)
RD: It's the time to reach out toward each other
The time to pause and to find
A reason to love one another,
The bond that unites humankind.
GK: Nice party.
TR: Yeah.
GK: Thought I'd take a break. Kinda warm in there. Lot of people.
TR: Yeah. - I like how they did this porch. The bead-board and the floors - really nice carpentry.
GK: You do carpentry?
TR: I wish I did.
GK: I guess he did all the work himself.
TR: Bill - yes. That's what I heard. - You care for some more wine? I brought a bottle of red out.
GK: Oh- well, maybe just a little. (POURING) Thanks. They got some nice gifts.
TR: Yeah. I gave them an electric blanket. I don't know -
GK: Nice.
TR: Now it's supposed to get warmer next week. Is what they say. Funny.
GK: Right. So, you're a friend of -
TR: Susan's.
GK: Oh. I see. So am I.
TR: I'm Frank. Frank Bienstock.
GK: I'm Larry Lewinsky.
TR: Good to meet you. Lewinsky, as in -
GK: Right.
TR: You probably get asked that a lot.
GK: I do, yes. So where do you know Susan from?
TR: We used to live in the same apartment complex in Minneapolis.
GK: Really? I lived there too.
TR: The Shropshire Arms? On Dupont?
GK: Right. I was in 314.
TR: I was in 214.
GK: Really. Funny I never ran into you -
TR: Yeah, well - I was in Susan's apartment more than I was in my own.
GK: Really? I used to see her a lot too.
TR: When were you there?
GK: Late 70s. Moved out in 82 -
TR: I moved in in 83.
GK: Oh -
RD: A reason to love one another,
The bond that unites humankind.
GK: You from Minneapolis?
TR: No, I'm originally from Duluth.
GK: Oh really. I have relatives in Duluth. Aunt and uncle -
TR: Really -
GK: Well, Two Harbors, actually, but -
TR: Same thing.
GK: He's got a Ford dealership there. Potemkin Ford? Right downtown?
TR: I don't think I've heard of it.
GK: They advertise on TV a lot. My uncle does his own commercials.
TR: Never saw them...
GK: Heavy set guy, sort of balding. Wears a down wig. Toots a horn.
TR: Huh uh. - You from up North?
GK: No. St. Paul.
TR: Oh.
GK: The West Side. Across the river.
TR: Right. (PAUSE) My uncle owned a restaurant over there. Rocky's Ribs - Sort of a big fancy place. Had an organist and everything.
GK: I may have driven by it, I don't know.
TR: Big flashing neon sign - "Rocky's" -
GK: I remember it vaguely.
TR: My uncle was Jim Bienstock. Tall guy with a moustache. His nickname was Rocky.
GK: Uh huh.
TR: They used to refer to him as The Mayor of West St. Paul.
GK: I don't remember that.
TR: There was a picture of him on the sign. Big tall guy -
GK: Sorry.
TR: The Mayor of West St. Paul? Everybody called him that.
GK: I don't think everybody called him that. Maybe just people who went to his restaurant.
TR: I can't believe it. You didn't know him?
GK: Huh uh.
RD: It's the time to reach out toward each other
The time to pause and to find
A reason to love one another,
The bond that unites humankind.
SS: Oh. Hi.
GK: Hi.
SS: Sorry. Didn't know anyone was out here.
GK: That's okay.
SS: Nice party.
GK: Uh huh.
SS: Just came out to get some fresh air. Lot of people in there.
TR: Care for some wine?
SS: You must be friends of -
TR: Susan's.
GK: Susan's.
SS: Oh. - She seems very nice. In her own way.
TR: Susan? She's great.
SS: She seems very nice. Quiet, but nice. How old is she?
GK: I don't know. Fortyish.
SS: Really. Well, she must take very good care of herself.
GK: Sure.
TR: They seem very happy.
SS: They do, don't they. It reminds me of that episode a couple weeks ago on "Seinfeld" when Jerry is talking to George about this girl he got in an argument with on a date - arguing over pistachio ice cream versus fudge chunk and anyway he and George are sitting in Jerry's living room and suddenly George says, "Have you ever tried butterscotch revel?" and Jerry spits out his Coke. All over himself. You remember that? It was on "Seinfeld". It was so funny. You see that one?
TR: No, I don't think so.
SS: You didn't?
GK: What show is that?
SS: Seinfeld.
GK: Never saw it.
SS: You never saw "Seinfeld"? It was the hit show of the Nineties. Everyone watched it.
GK: I never did.
TR: I've watched it but I didn't see that episode.
SS: The one where Jerry wasn't sure he could be happy with a girl who prefers pistachio? You didn't see it?
GK: No. Sorry.
SS: No problem. Take care, you guys. See you later.
RD: A reason to love one another,
The bond that unites humankind.
GK: So what sort of work do you do?
TR: Me? I'm a psychologist. Marriage counselor.
GK: Oh. I see.
TR: And you?
GK: I'm a writer.
TR: Uh huh. Interesting. What sort of writing?
GK: Technical writing, mostly. Some speeches. Corporate stuff. Brochures. You know....boring stuff.
TR: Uh huh. I wish I had the time to write. Always thought about writing a book. Never had the time.
GK: So you do counselling with - with -
TR: Married people. You married?
GK: Uh huh.
TR: How long?
GK: A while.
TR: Great. (PAUSE) How's it going?
GK: Pretty good. Where'd you go to study that?
TR: University of North Dakota.
GK: Really. I knew someone who went to UND. Joyce Green.
TR: Psychology major?
GK: No. English, I think. Tall girl.
TR: I don't think I knew her.
GK: Real smart.
TR: What year did she graduate?
GK: 78.
TR: Oh. I graduated in 85.
GK: Oh.
RD: A time to reach out and find
The bond that unites humankind.
TR: Did you go to the University then?
GK: Yes. University of Minnesota.
TR: You majored in English?
GK: I did, yes.
TR: Interesting. I used to live with a woman who went to the U.
GK: I see.
TR: She started out majoring in English and then she switched.
GK: Yeah, that happens sometimes.
TR: I don't know what became of her. We split up.
GK: Uh huh.
TR: She wanted to get married, I wasn't ready.
GK: Uh huh.
TR: She was a great person. Really funny. And smart.
GK: This is good wine, isn't it.
TR: Fifteen years later and I'm still not over her.
GK: Really.
TR: Really.
GK: Well, I guess that happens, doesn't it.
TR: Her favorite teacher in the English Department was a guy named Folwell. Fred Folwell.
GK: Never heard of him.
TR: Taught poetry at the U.
GK: Must've been after my time.
TR: Guess so.
RD: A reason to love one another,
The bond that unites humankind.
TR: She was great. She played in a blues band. Played bass. Her name was Iris.
GK: You're kidding.
TR: Iris Riley.
GK: That's my wife.
TR: Iris?
GK: Yeah.
TR: Tall, black hair, a little tattoo on her hip -
GK: That's my wife.
TR: Huh. We were in the band together.
GK: Is that right? She never mentioned you.
TR: Yeah. We lived together for awhile. In Fargo.
GK: She never mentioned that.
TR: We talked about getting married, but - I didn't think I was ready for it.
GK: Well, I'll be darned.
RD: The bond that unites humankind.
GK: Well, it's been interesting talking to you, Fred.
TR: Frank.
GK: Frank. Good to meet you.
TR: Same here. And say hello to Iris for me.
GK: Yeah. You bet I will.
TR: And give me a call. Let's get together. Maybe we can all go out and eat Polynesian food some night. Iris is crazy about Polynesian.
GK: Oh really. I had no idea.
TR: Anyway, give me a call, Harry.
GK: Larry.
TR: Right. Give me a call. We'll get together.
RD: It's a time to come together,
A time for all people to see
The bonds that unite one another
In perfect harmony.
(c) 1999 by Garrison Keillor