(GK: Garrison Keillor; SS: Sue Scott; KC: Kristin Chenoweth; RD: Richard Dworsky)
RD: We're all reaching out toward each other
All trying so hard to find
A reason to love one another,
The bond that unites humankind.
GK: Feels like spring.
KC: It does.
GK: Very nice reception.
KC: Yeah.
GK: Nice fruit salad.
KC: Yes.
GK: If you want to smoke, you go right ahead---
KC: No, I just came out for a breath of fresh air
GK: Same here. So---- you're a friend of Suzanne's?
KC: Right. From New York.
GK: Sure. She seems very nice. They seem very nice for each other.
KC: Yeah.
GK: I never met her before today.
KC: Oh.
GK: It was a nice wedding.
KC: Yes.
GK: The music was good.
KC: Yes.
GK: I like contemporary music at weddings. I don't see any reason why it has to be Mendelssohn and the march from Tannhauser.
KC: Right. ---- Which was the contemporary music?
GK: Well, the Crosby Stills Nash & Young. "Teach Your Children".
KC: Who's Crosby Stills Nash & Young? Is that a group?
GK: It was. Yes.
RD: We're all reaching out toward each other
All trying so hard to find
A reason to love one another,
The bond that unites humankind.
GK: Suzanne went to Bennington, right?
KC: Right. So did I.
GK: Really. Interesting. I used to know a guy who taught there. Bob Heron.
KC: Never heard of him.
GK: History. European history. Medieval ---- Renaissance----
KC: Never heard of him.
GK: Big tall guy. Wore corduroy jackets with leather elbow patches.
KC: Really. I thought only teachers in movies wore those.
GK: Well, they got it from Bob. What'd you study at Bennington?
KC: English.
GK: Really. I was an English major. At Minnesota.
KC: Oh.
GK: Did my senior paper on Fitzgerald.
KC: Zelda?
GK: Scott. You knew she had a husband--
KC: Sure. But at Bennington we read Zelda. Terrific course called "The Muses of Oppression" --- taught by this incredible teacher, Sascha Hilton ---- we read all these gay and minority writers ---- women writers, physically-challenged writers, seeing-impaired writers, dyslexics ---- did you know that Karen Ryeland was dyslexic?
GK: No, I didn't.
KC: You read her stuff? She's my all-time absolute favorite writer. She's unbelievable. "Embellishments of The Absurd" ---- "The Feathered Coach" --- "Angels In Distress" --- you ever read that? That's my favorite.
GK: I may have. The title is familiar.
KC: It's set in Wales in the 17th century, in a monastery, except really it's about colonialism. And there's this whole love story between Emily Dickinson and Amelia Earhart. And they travel to other planets where females rule and men are sort of these drones who provide the seed and then die.
GK: Sure. Seems fair.
KC: Do you know her work?
GK: What's her name?
KC: Karen Ryeland.
GK: No, I guess not.
KC: Oh. She's really famous right now.
GK: The name is familiar.
RD: A reason to love one another,
The bond that unites humankind.
KC: So you went to school in Minnesota?
GK: Yeah.
KC: Are you from there?
GK: Minnesota? Yeah. You ever go to Minnesota?
KC: No.
GK: Oh.
KC: I've heard about it, though.
GK: Right.
KC: It gets cold there, doesn't it?
GK: It does. Yes. You know those ice machines they have at convenience stores?
KC: Sure.
GK: Our biggest export.
KC: I used to know some people in Minnesota.
GK: Oh.
KC: They lived in St. Paul. That's in Minnesota, right?
GK: Yes. Right there.
KC: Halloran was their name. Or Callahan.
GK: Lots of Irish there in St. Paul.
KC: You know any Hallorans in St. Paul?
GK: No. Not really. No Callahans either. So you graduated from Bennington?
KC: Right. I'm at NYU now.
GK: Sure. Down in the Village.
KC: Right.
GK: I was down there the other day. Walked right past it. Big place. Lot of buildings.
KC: Sure.
GK: What're you doing at NYU?
KC: Studying film.
GK: Really. That must be interesting, studying film. I imagine you must meet a lot of interesting people.
KC: I do. Yes.
GK: Actors. Directors. Producers. Lighting directors. Set designers.
KC: You know people at NYU?
GK: No, I don't think so.
RD: A reason to love one another,
The bond that unites humankind.
GK: So you met Suzanne at Bennington?
KC: No, I didn't know her there.
GK: Oh.
KC: I met her when we both worked on the Charlie Rose show.
GK: Oh really.
KC: We were interns for one summer and part of the fall..
GK: Is that right? I watch Charlie Rose all the time.
KC: Really.
GK: Almost every night.
KC: Interesting.
GK: What did you do on the Charlie Rose show?
KC: Not much. Brought coffee to the guests in the green room. Made sure we had the right pronunciation of their name. Called their limo when they were done. That sort of thing.
GK: Uh huh. Well, it's a good show. What's he like?
KC: Charlie?
GK: Yeah. ----
KC: He's nice. Interesting person. You know. For somebody that age.
GK: Right. How'd you get the job?
KC: Through my mother.
GK: Oh.
KC: She's married to a guy who produces public TV.
GK: Oh. Good. (PAUSE) Did you see a play called "Six Degrees of Separation"?
KC: When was that?
GK: I don't know. Fifteen years ago.
KC: I was seven years old.
GK: Oh.
KC: Did you see it?
GK: I did. Yes.
KC: What's it about?
GK: I forget.
RD: A reason to love one another,
The bond that unites humankind.
KC: You have kids?
GK: Got two.
KC: Really!
GK: Mmmhmmm.
KC: What's that like?
GK: Having kids? It's nice. They're kind of a pain when they're little but they get interesting in their teens and after that they can be a lot of fun.
KC: I've thought about having kids, but I don't think so. They really mess up your life.
GK: No, they don't.
KC: Well, they don't mess up a man's life because you don't have to take care of them but they sure mess up a woman's. You want to hear about that, just ask Hazel.
GK: Who's Hazel?
KC: My mom.
GK: Really. I used to know a Hazel when I was in Chicago.
KC: That's where my mom is from. Lincoln Park.
GK: What was her last name?
KC: Schwab.
GK: You're kidding.
KC: You know her?
GK: Yes.
KC: On Valentine Avenue?
GK: That's where we lived.
KC: You lived with her?
GK: Yes.
KC: In the sense of----
GK: Yes, in that sense.
KC: You were-----
GK: Yes.
KC: When?
GK: Seventy-eight, seventy-nine.
KC: I was born in 1980. February.
GK: My gosh.
RD: We're all reaching out toward each other.
GK: Well, I suppose we should be going back to the reception.
KC: Yes.
GK: I always wondered what became of Hazel.
KC: What became of her was that she came back east pregnant and gave birth to me and then she met my stepdad.
GK: I don't know what to say.
KC: Neither do I. She never said much about you.
GK: I tried to forget her too.
KC: So let me get this straight---- when she and you broke up, she was--
GK: She was.
KC: So that means that you are probably-----
GK: I am. No doubt about it.
KC: So when she----
GK: Exactly.
KC: Because you-----
GK: Right.
KC: I am ---- speechless. Somehow I never imagined this would happen.
SS: (OFF) Darcy?????
KC: That's my mom.
GK: I know.
KC: Want to say hi to her?
GK: Someday, sure. Not now. But I hope I see you again. If you ever come out to St. Paul, look me up.
KC: If I ever do, I will.
GK: I'd enjoy that. And take care of yourself.
KC: I will. You take care, too.
GK: Okay. Do you have a little birthmark on your ankle?
KC: I do. Do you have a heart murmur?
GK: I do. The family heart murmur. You have that?
KC: Yep.
GK: Sorry.
KC: That's okay.
GK: It's kind of a nuisance.
KC: I don't worry about it much.
GK: On the other hand, you also get the family intelligence, the charm, the artistic ability.
KC: Right.
RD: It's a time to come together,
A time for all people to see
The bonds that unite one another
In perfect harmony.
© Garrison Keillor 2002