Background Art

I’m sitting on the last stool at the bar. My drink sits in front of me. I’m waiting for a man who isn’t my husband to fill the next seat over. It’s 10:30 a.m. I’ve been here for an hour. The bar, like any good dive, has a pool table. There are 12 or so other patrons. We are here for the same reason. We aren’t here to make small talk.

We are neither alcoholics nor adulterers. We’re not down-and-out. We are extras. The drink before me is water dressed up to look like something stronger. I take a sip and check out the set “family” I’m working with today. The stars and costars laugh with one another as they mill around eating breakfast. The crew is having coffee after setting up the day’s first shot. We’re all waiting for the first assistant director to call “Places!”

By the end of the day, I will know all