(With apologies to Matt Donnelly)
Terry trotted onto the short stage of the small theatre and addressed the modest crowd. “Good evening and welcome to Yes-and-ra Clare, a show where you decide what happens! You guys ready to laugh?”
“Sure!” replied a voice.
“Thanks mom! I’d like to bring out the troupe, The State Looks Down on Comedy! (Our lawyers require me to tell you that we are not affiliated with 1993 MTV series ‘The State’ or the group of the same name who appeared therein.)” Terry’s phone buzzed in his pocket; he ignored it. “All right now for this first bit we are going to need a location: something like a coffee shop or a library or-”
“The Throne of God, surrounded by twenty-four thrones with twenty-four elders seated in them!” a gruff voice yelled.
“All right, I heard Chuck E Cheese!” Terry’s phone buzzed again; once again he ignored it. “Now we need an occupation: like a barista or a librarian or-”
“The great Harlot who sits on the scarlet Beast with seven heads and ten horns and names of blasphemy all over its body!” the gruff voice yelled.
“Okay, I heard ringmaster.” Another buzz. “Now, we’ll need a situation.” Another buzz. “Something like, uh,” he trailed off, feeling another buzz. “Hold on,” Terry asked, pausing to glance at his smart watch. He had missed ten alerts from his news app.
The latest read, “Dragon imprisoned in Bottomless Pit. Will it last a thousand years?”
“Running into an ex-girlfriend!” the gruff voice suggested.