Sympathy for Tomorrow [working title]
an excerpt

"So," Leah started, and looked around. "Are we really at Waffle House?"

"Leah, don't stare, you look like a tourist."

"Instead of?"

"An actress. Besides, if someone says 'Ya'll ain't from around here,' I'm likely to spit orange juice out of my nose and it will hurt."

"Oh, like New York is so cosmpolitan."

Adam giggled.

"Don't do that! They might beat you up, or something."

"Leah, darling, half the people in this Waffle House are gay."

"What?"

"Look around."

She looked around. It was true. She looked back at Adam. "I'm so disappointed," she said.

"Why?"

"Gay people at Waffle House?"

"Well, we are."

"Adam."

"Leah," he said. "If you'd just come out when you were with Grace we'd be so over this by now. Your mother keeps leaving me voice mail. I think she suspects something."

"About us?"

"About you."

Leah sighed. She said, "Name one publicly out lesbian actress in New York."

"Rosie O'Donnell?"

"One that works for a living."

He shrugged. "I'm not saying you're wrong. I'm saying, it's a pain in the ass."

She was hurt by that, and concentrated on her strawberry pancakes.

"What were you going to tell me?" he asked.

"When?"

"Just now, before the shocking gay people at Waffle House expose."

"Oh, that I met Lady Macbeth."

"Sophia Medina? What's she like?"

"Young," Leah said. She took a sip of her coffee, and asked, "Isn't Lady Macbeth supposed to be played by some well-regarded actress in her 40s and 50s? Usually a ringer or someone of local fame? Not--a kid?"

"They brought someone up from Charlotte to do it, from what I read in the paper, and four weeks into rehearsal they found out she had breast cancer. Sophia was Lady Macduff, they bumped her up."

"Why not just bring in another ringer?"

"People have schedules, Leah," Adam said. He smiled. "What do you have against Medina?"

"Nothing. She's just... young."

"And beautiful, I hear."

"Young, thin, exotic actresses often are," Leah said.

"I wonder if she can sing."

"Adam."

"Don't worry, I'm not recasting you."

Leah smiled, and asked, "Ironic, isn't it? I'm far too be old to be playing a 13 year old love interest--metaphor or not--and she's far too young to be Macbeth. We should switch."

"I'm hurt," Adam said.

Leah felt a twinge of satisfaction. She said, "It's just business, Adam."

"Honey, it's art."