ONE VERY GOOD NEWSCAST

The usually loud and crowded bar is quiet and not so crowded today. A few lonesome singles, with no place better to be, on the eve of this great day, are gathered around the small fuzzy television elevated behind the bartender's head. No one is joking or throwing peanuts or challenging to games of billiards. None of the usual fun is going on, in fact the bar is not fun at all.

The newsroom is loud and busy. People run this way and that carrying papers and videos. The newswomen gets her makeup put on while practicing her perfect smile in the mirror. "Tonight should be a good newscast." She thinks. Her partner has not arrived yet, but she is not concerned . . . this will be a good newscast.

The bedroom of the small flat is loud, but there are only two people there. Neither are in their normal places, sitting on the recliner with a romance novel and researching on the Internet. In conversation they had always sat this way. But now they are standing and facing each other and it is very loud in the small flat.

The silence of the bar is broken by the quiet creak of the door allowing the patter of rain to be heard by the patrons. "That is a very lovely girl." says the one patron to another patron. The girl is also quiet. She stands at the door with her suitcase in her hand. Her face is wet.

The newswomen is at her desk and she is receiving the sign that she can begin to read her cue card. Her co-host has yet to arrive, but she is making this a very good newscast. "And now in other news, a new anti-depression. . ."

The bedroom of the small flat is now quiet except for the sound of the nightly news being streamlined over the computer on the small grey desk in the corner ". . . new anti-depression pill that is sweeping the nation has been found. . ."

The bar has gotten livelier. Music is playing from the jukebox and some guys have started a friendly game of billiards. As the drinks continue the bar gets louder. "Why don't we go somewhere quiet?" Says the patron to the lovely girl. "My car is just outside." As he helps her with her coat the small fuzzy television above the bartenders head crackles, ". . . been found incredibly dangerous and may cause death, I repeat. . ." The newswoman's words are muffled by the now deafening rumble of rain in the streets.

The newsroom is now quiet and very empty. Everyone has left. The newswomen exits the news building and runs into her missing co-host. "Tonight was a very good newscast" she says. He does not hear her. A car with a man and woman in the front seat drive by and spray water on the missing co-host and the newswoman.

The police car is very loud and empty. Sirens can be heard in the distance as well as the muttered voices of several people on the way from their jobs to their small flats to see their wives and husbands and friends. Some of them are heading to a bar to celebrate with their buddies play billiards and watch the television.

The newsroom is loud and busy again. "Tonight we have another victim of . . ." begins the newswoman. This should be a good newscast.

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