SOME PEOPLE JUST LIKE TO ARGUE

They’re nice. What are we supposed to tell her now, what these two little old farts are talking about? Well, she’s giving her holy hell about something. “Don’t you ever say that again in front of me!” She probably criticized her, or someone in her family. “You shouldn’t have let that young man run loose like that! You should have kept him home.” They might be mothers. Grandmothers. They don’t consider themselves grandmothers, though. They’re just superior beings.

Where do you think they are? I think they’re nice. They’re at the bus station. It says “running” on the wall. They’ve been friends for a long time, those two little old ladies. They’re probably distantly related. Enough to call each other cousin. The whole place looks empty except for them. They’re inside. At least under a shelter. You think this is a tree out here? These must be pictures of their clients, people who eat there or come in and have a drink there.

Is that a snake or a tail? She’s giving her holy hell. What did the young man do? I don’t know. We’ve got to find out. He was probably criticizing a girl. I don’t think so. I think she’s coming down on a boy. Those two little old ladies think they own the world, and they don’t. What do you think their names are? Those two fat ladies? The one of the left is Ester. The other one’s got to be Mary Lee. I think they’ve been friends for too long. They’re not related, just childhood friends. Their families are close. I think they feel like they can call each other up any time they want. Ester’s got the high word right now. Mary Lee is just sitting back, waiting. “Just wait till I get to you.”

Ester has a pretty bracelet. Yes, it’s a combination of silver and gold. Ester thinks she’s superior to Mary Lee. Sounds like there’s more going on. What does she have around her neck? It looks like she’s squeezing something. It looks like they’re in an outside café. I don’t know. I’ve never seen an outside café. It’s a very chilly day.

Mary Lee is looking at Ester. She looks like she’s kind of angry. It just shows. They’re not too happy with each other. They stay that way. One might be. Ester isn’t mad. She’s holding her walking cane.

They’re good friends, but they stay off each other all the time. One’s got something mad at the other one. They take turns being mad at each other. They’ve been together too long. I think Ester is upset at Mary Lee. What is that blue thing? It’s an empty chair. It looks like part of a house. If they’re good women, they know they’re friends.

That blue arm looks like the bushy tail of a fox. It looks like the scarves that women wear around their necks. The other lady has one, too. I think she’s got it all pulled up nice and tight. What is in the picture? Beer? But it doesn’t look like beer. Well, there are glasses there, I guess. I sure miss mine.

They’re in Indianapolis. There used to be a great rivalry being Anapolis and West Point. I’ve been to Anapolis. My first husband graduated from West Point. He didn’t last long when he got to Europe. It’s hard being a military widow. Everyone expects so much and you can’t give it to them. Every time you hear a band or see a parade, you’re expecting to see him somewhere. Nothing he loved better than to be in the service. I thought one of my sons wanted to go to the academy, but they didn’t. I didn’t force them. There’s nothing worse than someone who has been forced into the military.

I don’t think that’s Indianapolis. I don’t think they’ve got that many tall buildings.

They’re at an outdoor café. It’s nothing very exclusive. They drop in there often. I’m sure they know the people that work there. That’s a little town, not a big town. The daughters are friends of theirs. The table leg looks like a D. It’s just part of a table.

How is their argument going to end? This old bittie is going to win it. The other lady is just going to give in. Her friend is so disagreeable she’s just going to say, “Shut up. You win.” “Well, of course I win. I’m right.”

What are their personalities like? Two grouchy old ladies. They like to argue. They don’t want anyone to get mad at their arguments. They just want to argue.

What do they do during their spare time, besides arguing with each other? That takes up a great deal of their time. They get tired from the business. Their daughters are grateful that the other woman takes them way from a while. It’s strange that there’s nobody else in the café. They’re the only two customers it looks like. Even they haven’t ordered much. Why is no one else there? It isn’t time yet. Is it closed? No, there are lights on. They haven’t been served yet because they don’t have any glasses in front of them. Don’t you think this is a beer glass in front of them? I imagine they’re going to drink beer. They like it just like other people do. I don’t think so. They’re probably just having a coke or coffee. Something simple.

What are they going to next? They’re going to the theater. They’re going to break up. What’s that black thing squirting out?

They both think they rule the world. “Well, I wrote to the president and I told him.”

They’re going to go home and then go out again the next weekend. I think they’re going to be okay. I really do. They’ve probably done this their whole lives. Some people just like to argue.

STORY BY: Betty, Patricia, Nilsa, Tony, Barbara

HELPERS: Kennedy, Collin, Sarah