Hickory INT. DRESSING ROOM, LOS ANGELES AUDITORIUM- DAY MICHAEL, a dark skin black man, and EBONY, a brown skinned black woman, are getting ready for a presentation. Michael is arguing about the importance of what color pants he wears as he gets dressed. MICHAEL: I didnât want the hickory pants, I wanted the beige pants. If I wanted the hickory pants I wouldâve asked for the hickory pants. But since I didnât ask for the hickory pants then that must mean.... EBONY: You didnât want (the hickory pants.) MICHAEL: (over) I didnât want the hickory pants. See wasnât that easy? Now do you know why I didnât want the hickory pants? EBONY: Because you have a religious opposition to wearing any color darker than the (Sephora makeup collection?) MICHAEL: (over) Iâm dark chocolate, my turtleneck is ginger, the audience members will be between 30 and 300 feet away from me. If I wear hickory pants it will look like Iâm just wearing a ginger turtleneck with no pants and people will be wondering what I look like when I donât have pants on instead of listening to the words Iâm saying. EBONY: To be fair theyâll probably be thinking about the words youâre saying when you donât have pants on. Iâve never taken you for much of a dirty talker, are you? MICHAEL: The beige pants were supposed to nicely contrast the ginger and the dark chocolate and make them pop. Like the cover of an October GQ magazine. And if Iâm busy using my mouth to talk I canât use it for more important things. EBONY: Whatâs more important than talking during a presentation?
| Taj Kokayi 28 Magazine Spring 2021 FINAL.indd 28
4/15/2021 8:18:25 PM