Cam went to see a musical theater production with his friend Melissa, who was in the other cast of the production. In case you don't know, theater productions (especially at the college level) are often "double cast" to serve the dual purpose of offering the performance opportunity to more candidates and to give those with more prominent roles time to rest (especially when there are multiple shows on certain days). Cam and Melissa dated for several years and it seemed they are in the preliminary stages of a rekindling. To continue the fire analogy, they have both admitted that they are "cold", but neither will yet acknowledge the nearby fireplace and ample supply of logs. Tonight's venture, however, is not considered a date. After they watched the show, rather than wait with the crowd, Melissa runs into the dressing room to pay her obligatory compliments, which are a form of currency meticulously documented in the minds of every performer. Cam is considering the options of what to do with the rest of the night, browsing his iPhone on a bench behind the somewhat polished crowd of people waiting facing the door nearest to the dressing room for their performer friends and family to emerge. Cam may have a loose affiliation with some people in the crowd, but he keeps a low profile in the force-field of being preoccupied. As the crowd dwindles he peers off the screen periodically to see if Melissa has returned yet. Eventually the last few people wander off and he lets the light dim on his phone. The janitor pushes the door open with great mirth, having completed his duties early. He walks halfway out the doorway and holds it open with the left side of his gut, which protrudes at least 12 inches from probably more gut. He looks at Cam and goes back inside and vanishes down a flight of steps. Cam thinks to himself, "Melissa is so loquacious. It is wonderful when I benefit from that, but I can't stand it when she loses track of time..." The janitor pops back out the door and Cam unlocks his phone and starts once again "occupying" himself as he approaches, clearly about to start a conversation. Here is how that exchange went:
Janitor: Y'know there's nobody down there in either dressing room.
Cam: Oh I'm just waiting for a friend, she should be here any minute.
Janitor: I just looked down there, I didn't see anybody. Is she in the cast?
Cam: Well she's in the other cast, we were just watching tonight. See she went down there to congratulate her cast mates...
Janitor: It's ok, I understand. So she didn't get cast. So what! It's no big deal.
Cam: No see, they had a split cast. She performs on Friday, Saturday and Sunday matinee.
Janitor: Are you sure you have the right show?
Cam: It's ok, I know she's coming and I'll just wait.
Janitor: OK.
Janitor: Does she know you're here?
Cam: Of course she does, she was my date. Err...
Janitor: Heheh, you don't look too sure of that. It seems like a simple thing to ask yourself, really. Was she or wasn't she?
Cam: I guess not technically. It's complicated.
Cam: We used to date, but now we're just friends who hang out a lot.
Cam: It's complicated!
Janitor: I get it, it must be complicated. You know a few months ago there was some kid who got the cops called on him. He overheard a certain young lady he was interested in tell some friends that she was going to a piano concert, so he just waited outside of the building for her. Turns out he had been stalking her for months, and once she saw him waiting outside she finally had enough and called campus security.
Janitor: You don't seem like that guy though.
Cam: Then why say anything?
Janitor: Just in case you are.
Janitor: So if you don't mind me asking what did you have planned for after the show?
Cam: What do you mean "if you don't mind me asking"? You just basically accused me of being a stalker!
Janitor: A lot of the students go to Schmidt's.
Cam: Yeah, we're not part of that crowd... We're thinking of somewhere more quiet.
Janitor: Man, she's really making you wait. I think it's time for plan B.
Janitor: If you know what I mean.
Cam: Nah, she'll be here, maybe she's in the restrooms.
Janitor: If you insist. I don't think you should put up with this disrespect.
It is at this point Melissa returns and they walk away.
Melissa: God, sorry that took so long. Bridget and I agreed that the conductor can't hold a tempo to save his life, so yeah we were talking about that for a while. Glad you made a friend, is he gonna come with us?
Cam: Y'know, I wouldn't mind that. After being surrounded by all the pretentious theater people, it is nice to have a simple conversation with someone without secret agendas.
And etc. Cam's humble act of philanthropy, augmented by alcohol, set the relationship ablaze once again that night.
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