Isabelle Off the Books, Part 1

BONNIE:
Oh my God! Oh my God! Holy crap! Oh my God!

ISABELLE:
Bonnie?

BONNIE:
Isabelle! Do you like work here? In a bookstore? Is this like a bookstore?

ISABELLE:
Do you see books everywhere?

BONNIE:
Yes.

ISABELLE:
Do you see a selection of deli meats?

BONNIE:
No.

ISABELLE:
Then it's probably a bookstore. What are you doing here?

BONNIE:
I can read, Isabelle. I know how to read.

ISABELLE:
I didn't say you didn't.

BONNIE:
So what are you.....Oh my God. Is my thong in my mouth or what? I am such an insensitive bitch. You were laid off from your job. Everybody told me you were laid off, that's right, I totally forgot.

ISABELLE:
I wasn't laid off. I was interning on the Hill, it was only a one-year commitment and it ended.

BONNIE:
But you could get another gig on the Hill, right?

ISABELLE:
The minority party doesn't have that many staff jobs, and I'm not sure I want to do that anyway.

BONNIE:
You should come work for DHS. They're still hiring. I mean you'd be junior to me of course, but they would give you something.

ISABELLE:
Homeland Security? That's where you work?

BONNIE:
It's the coolest agency now. There are like 23 guys in my office. And every single one of them has come on to me. Every single one. Do you believe that?

ISABELLE:
I do, yes. Sounds like a great place to work.

BONNIE:
It is awesomely righteous, Isabelle. You should check it out. Instead of this. Being a sales clerk. It's like McDonalds without the food.

ISABELLE:
It isn't that bad, it's a nice store, the people are nice. And I'm volunteering at Human Rights International and just keeping my ears open. It's fine for now.

BONNIE:
I guess, I'm just saying that DHS would at least be taking you somewhere. It's a career. Some of us care still care about our careers, Isabelle.

ISABELLE:
Are you still pissed at me about credit for the senior group project?

BONNIE:
No. Who told you that?

ISABELLE:
Our graduation party, Bonnie. Don't you remember the party?

BONNIE:
Oh please. I threw the beer at you because that's what I do. It didn't mean anything.

ISABELLE:
I had to redo all your charts and graphs. I couldn't tell Dr. Popkin you did the work when you didn't.

BONNIE:
That's all in the past, Isabelle. It's how I remember you, but it's all in the past. So has anybody famous ever come in here? Have you met anyone?

ISABELLE:
You're not here for a book, are you.

BONNIE:
I could be.

ISABELLE:
Is this for DHS? Is this an investigation?

BONNIE:
I can't tell you that. I have to ask you some questions.

ISABELLE:
Why?

BONNIE:
Because. We're at war.

ISABELLE:
At war? Do you even know what that means?

BONNIE:
I'm going to show you a photograph. Is this man a customer of yours?

ISABELLE:
What is this about?

BONNIE:
I'm serious, Isabelle. You know what the Patriot Act says?

ISABELLE:
What.

BONNIE:
It says specifically that you can't screw around with me.

ISABELLE:
I didn't realize it said that.

BONNIE:
It does say that, Isabelle.

ISABELLE:
How do you know it says that?

BONNIE:
Because I read a summary of it. It's my job. I have a job.

ISABELLE:
I have a job too.

BONNIE:
Fine, if you want to call it that. Is this man a customer of yours?

ISABELLE:
Yes. I mean, I don't know. He might have been in here. I'm not sure.

BONNIE:
But you recognize him.

ISABELLE:
I'm not sure.

BONNIE:
You wouldn't have said yes if you didn't remember him.

ISABELLE:
He's just some guy.

BONNIE:
What makes you say he's just some guy. What's his name?

ISABELLE:
His name?

BONNIE:
His name, yes. I asked you his name.

ISABELLE:
Joe.

BONNIE:
He told you his name was Joe?

ISABELLE:
Doesn't that match what you have? What do you have?

BONNIE:
You can't ask me what I have. This isn't mid-terms, Isabelle. This is an investigation. Jesus Christ.

ISABELLE:
Just trying to help.

BONNIE:
What's his last name? I can't go back to the office without a last name. People will laugh at me.

ISABELLE:
I don't know his last name.

BONNIE:
I thought we were friends.

ISABELLE:
Friends? You called me once in three years.

BONNIE:
And you were busy.

ISABELLE:
I was seeing someone.

BONNIE:
Yuh, right. It's obvious you remember this Joe guy. You're just not telling me.

ISABELLE:
He ordered a few books from us. He just gave me his first name and his number. I called him when the books came in. There was no last name.

BONNIE:
Then give me his number.

ISABELLE:
I don't have it.

BONNIE:
You said he gave you his number.

ISABELLE:
I didn't keep it. That's the truth.

BONNIE:
Why would he come here? Why wouldn't he order over the Internet or do mail order?

ISABELLE:
People who come into bookstores want to talk to a person. They want advice or to chat or something.

BONNIE:
So you talked to him.

ISABELLE:
Just about what he wanted.

BONNIE:
What did he want?

ISABELLE:
Books, Bonnie. It's a bookstore.

BONNIE:
I know it's a frigging bookstore, you don't have to get pissy with me, Isabelle. What kind of books?

ISABELLE:
Religion mostly. Comparative religion, I guess. I looked up titles for him, he picked out a few things. That was it.

BONNIE:
What kind of religion?

ISABELLE:
Comparative religion.

BONNIE:
What were the titles?

ISABELLE:
I don't remember.

BONNIE:
Then look it up.

ISABELLE:
It was a cash sale, I can't look it up, and I wouldn't if I could.

BONNIE:
You know, this is just like you, Isabelle. You think the Patriot Act was written for everybody but you.

ISABELLE:
I've told you all I'm going to tell you.

BONNIE:
Did you ever see him outside the store?

ISABELLE:
No!

BONNIE:
Do you have a thing for him?

ISABELLE:
No. Do you?

BONNIE:
Final answer. What's his last name.

ISABELLE:
I don't know.

BONNIE:
Well I'm going to write this up, Isabelle. And your last name is going to be in it. I hope nothing bad happens to you.

ISABELLE:
Try to be more convincing.

READ PART 2»