EXT. SYMPHONY HALL - NIGHT
The elegant facade of the symphony hall, complete with rotating spotlights and a red carpet in front, do not quite match the patrons flooding from its doors after a show. Instead of upper-class, middle-aged couples dressed in tuxedos and gowns, we see throngs of twenty-somethings barely wearing an undershirt between their frail frames and the world. One of those twenty-somethings is NICK, a young man cutting a dashing figure in a sea of aesthetic ignorance. He passes a large banner for the Campus MovieFest just as people start to take it down. Nick pulls out his iPod and starts clicking through the menus. Running after him is JAMIE, another young man whose film was just shown at the event.
Jamie (O.S.)
Nick! Wait up for a second!
With one earbud in, Nick turns around as Jamie approaches.
Nick
What's up, buddy?
Jamie
What are you doing?
Nick
Trying to figure out why my iPod insists on always playing Paul van Dyk.
Jamie
Well, we're all going out to drink away the pain. You want to come?
Nick
Nah, I think I'll pass. I'm going to see Katie up at ...
Jamie
Nick, do you want to make movies?
Nick
Well, yeah. It's why I went back to school.
Jamie
So do we. You passed on working on this thing with us and that's fine I guess but it couldn't hurt to hang out with some people that want to make stuff. And we don't bite. It's like easy networking.
Nick
Where are you guys going?
Jamie
Right by your house actually. Meeting up at a friend's off Corley and maybe to Johnny's.
Nick
Corley? Where the heck is that?
Jamie
I don't know. It's a street right by your house, I think.
Nick
I'm pretty sure you made that up.
Jamie
I'm pretty sure I didn't. I'll take it from your changing the subject that you're not into it.
Nick
I'm going to visit Katie at the Vortex first but after that I'll give you a call.
Jamie
All right. Have a good night.
Nick
Take it easy, brother.
Jamie walks away and Nick slips his earbud into the other ear. He walks away in the other direction.
int. vortex midtown - night
Nick walks in to a bar that used to be a familiar haunt but is now strange. He sees ARTIE the famous bartender with whom he's decently aquainted and gives him a wave.
artie
Get bent.
Nick retracts his hand slowly.
He walks around to the dining area where three poker tables are set up. At the far side he sees an old friend he (and most people) call STABLER sitting next to someone who, from afar, looks like someone Nick knows very well.
Nick
(to himself)
Nathan's here?
Nick mosies on over to the table, gives a wave to Stabler and drops a hand on the shoulder of Stabler's fellow poker player.
Nick
Hey, man, what's uh ...
The man seated turns. This is NOT NATHAN.
Nick
(looking straight ahead instead of at Not Nathan; muttering)
Oh, g ... you are not who I wanted to talk to.
not nathan
Excuse me?
Nick
Stabler, why did you let me tap a stranger?
Stabler
It happened way too fast, man. Besides, how do I know who you know and don't know.
(beat)
Who'd you think it was?
Not Nathan
Do I really not know you?
Nick
I thought it was Nathan.
Stabler
Nathan? Well, I mean, I guess a little bit from far away.
Not Nathan
Who's Nathan?
Nick
I guess that's what I'll tell myself so that I don't feel so incredibly awkward.
Not Nathan
Is Nathan at least good looking? I'd like to be mistaken for someone that's good looking.
Stabler
Besides, isn't that Nathan over there making out with your girlfriend?
Nick
(spinning around quickly)
The what?
Stabler
Psych.
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