"Gimme Sympathy"

Jan and Tory are at a networking event. Jan is very outgoing, a few years older than her counterpart. Tory is reserved and not sure how to go about this event. They’ve been paired for the networking exercise.

Jan: Hi, my name is Jan.

Tory: Hi. I’m Tory.

Jan: What brings you here today?

Tory: I came with some people.

Jan: That’s good. What was it about the event that you liked?

Tory: I didn’t even know this was the topic. I only came for what happens (gesturing to her surroundings) “after all of this is gone.”

Jan: Oh, whatever it is must be exciting for you to spend time here first.

Tory: Yeah.

Jan: Well we still have some time as a pairing. “Who’d you rather be? The Beatles or The Rolling Stones?”

There’s a pause.

Jan: (gently prompting) Who would you choose?

Tory: “Oh, Seriously?” I didn’t realize you were asking, that’s a pretty cool question. I would say The Rolling Stones.

Jan: Can I ask a question?

Tory: (shrugs) Yeah.

Jan: You’re at this networking event, even if it was to only be with your friends as you mentioned. What is it that you fear about talking to people in this room?

Tory: Um… I don’t want to make a fool of myself. If I don’t say much there’s less room for error.

Jan: “You’re gonna make mistakes” regardless of how often you talk…”you’re young.” Hell, I make mistakes all the time and I know I’m older than you.

Tory: That’s what everyone keeps telling me. I don’t want to make mistakes because it’s so embarrassing.

Jan: When was the last time you were embarrassed?

Tory: I was playing at the piano bar I’m employed at on the weekends. There was some dude who kept heckling me saying, “‘come on baby play me something like, Here Come the Sun.’” You know what I did? I played I Got My Mind Set On You instead. It was mortifying.

Jan: Did anyone say anything?

Tory: No. People liked it. It’s still haunting me because I was supposed to play Here Comes the Sun.

Jan: Do you have to listen to the crowd’s suggestion?

Tory: I get to play whatever I want.

Jan: Then there’s nothing to be embarrassed about. You get to play what you want and your mind had you play an awesome song.

Tory: Thank you for your support, but I don’t see it that way. I’m going to grab water.

Jan: “Don’t go.” We still have a few more minutes before switching partners. I want to say that it’s really amazing that you moonlight at a piano bar.

Tory: I have to. How else can I pay the bills? It’s like I “stay with the all unknown” of the bar because I can’t figure out what career I really want to have.

Jan: That’s okay. That’s normal. You know those weird emails you get sometimes from “recruiters” who promise all the money for half baked sounding jobs?

Tory: Yeah.

Jan: “Stay away from the hooks” like that. You’ll do alright. There’s no such thing as fast money. You seem smart and it’s more smart of you to do something you love on the side. You’ll be happy that’s a constant when you think back on “all the chances [you] took.”

Tory: How do you know this?

Jan: We’re not all that different. You have piano and I have painting. I feel like “we’re so close to something.”

Tory: It’s “better left unknown.”

Jan: It’s that “I can feel it in my bones.” If you ever want to talk some more about this, give me a call (passing a business card.) It was nice talking to you.

Buzzer rings indicating to everyone to switch partners for the next networking moment.

Tory: I appreciate the sympathy.

Jan: You’re more ready for the world than you think.

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