The Bohemians and the Cynics

A typical easy-going conversation at 3:15 in the afternoon involves talk of a theatrical audition, discussion on movie portrayals of historic archetypes, and questions on the age of cynicism.

The following was heard while a Coldplay CD was being played on the iTunes of the gray iMac.

“How was your audition?” Benedict asks Ricardo, regarding a play he had tried out for.

Before Ricardo even gets a chance to answer, Benedict tells him, “You’re getting more and more Bohemian every day.”

“What’s that?” Ricardo asks.

“Have you seen Moulin Rouge?” Benedict asks.

“Yeah,” Ricardo says with a slight nod.

“It’s those guys,” Benedict continues, “the artsy, I-don’t-care-about-the-real-world craptacular stuff. Beauty, freedom, truth and love.”

“Oh yeah,” Ricardo says, despite the blatant sarcasm from the previous remark.

“You’re too young to be cynical,” Eunice declares to Benedict.

A pause of about ten seconds ensues as the players gather their breath.

Just when the thought was about to die, Jorge revives it by asking, “What’s the right age to be cynical?”

Benedict follows up the same question to Eunice, “Yeah, what is the right age to be cynical?”

“Twenty-two,” shouts Mr. Cameron from the other room.

Everyone laughs.

Twenty-two, indeed.