The Underclassman Ch. 23

He stood there speechless for a moment before replying, "I have no theater experience, even remotely."

"She hasn't even told you what the part is yet," interjected Abby.

Professor Seidman elucidated that the play centered around a young, ambitious suffragette who was studying to become a lawyer, and the role she had in mind for Mick was of a fellow student who had served in World War I. "Your stature and demeanor are befitting the character," she told him.

"Mick served in the military!" spouted Abby.

"I knew there was something about you," remarked the professor.

"I do many things, most of them very well," stated Mick, while doing his best to not come off as conceited. "But singing, dancing and acting... those aren't three," he admitted.

Professor Seidman enlightened Mick that he may not get cast as the lead, but possibly selected as an understudy or for a non-speaking supporting role.

"The lead?" blurted Mick, sounding noticeably unnerved.

The professor told him, "I'd be amiss young man if I did not remind you of your own words regarding stepping outside of your comfort zone."

"Do it Mick!" encouraged Zoey.

"Tell you what," said Professor Seidman as she reached into her front slacks pocket and withdrew her business card. "Give it some consideration over the break," she told Mick as she handed him her contact info.

Mick gave the card a courteous glance before shoving it into his own pants pocket. Sounding rather stalwart in his disinterest, he told the instructor, "I'll think about it."

"Let me know if you are interested and I'll send you the script and audition information," the professor told him.

Professor Seidman again congratulated both Professor Wells and Zoe on their splendid recital and before departing she told the three friends that it was very nice to have met them all. Zoey's interpretive dance teacher then did the same before excusing herself as she wanted to make the rounds and spend some time with each of her students.

Abby asked her roommate, "Are you going to walk back to Bradley Hall with us?"

Zoe told her that some of the class had planned a little post performance get-together, and that she would be back at the dorm sometime later.

"Then I'm going to get Mick out of here," said Abby, "before some art teacher wanders by and asks him to model nude for a painting class!" Zoey immediately guffawed uncontrollably at the quip and she crossed her hands over her mouth in an attempt to contain herself.

"You always have to poke the bear, don't you?" asked Mick who was obviously annoyed yet again from being at the butt end of another of Abigail's jabs.

Abby threw her arms around her roommate and told her, "You have fun and be careful."

"Thank you both for coming," Zoe struggled to say as she was being tightly squeezed.

Before letting her go, Abigail whispered into her friend's ear, "I'm so proud of you."

After finishing their goodbyes, Abby and Mick turned and headed towards the exit. As they ascended the stairs, Mick looked around the theater searching for Bellamy, but she was nowhere to be seen.

"Can I be your agent?" inquired Abby.

"NO," Mick adamantly replied.

"I think you need a stage name," she told him. "What do you think about Thorn Oakmont?" asked Abigail.

"Isn't that a character from The Hobbit?" he replied.

"How about Maximillian Justice?" inquired Abby.

"Doesn't really roll off the tongue," Mick advised her.

She clarified, "But you would go by Max Justice!"

"I see what you did there," he told her and after a dramatic pause, emphatically answered "NO!"

The two friends exited the auditorium and had strolled down the corridor some ways before Abby interrupted the silence by blurting, "Spruce Fontaine!"

"You're going to hound me about this the entire way back to the dorm, aren't you?" asked Mick.

"And then some," Abigail happily informed him.