Transcript of: 

MY PARALLEL LIFE 

SEASON 1, EPISODE 8 

Daniel Takes His Job Seriously For Once 

By Jasmine Brown and Vera Greentea 

THEME MUSIC: PATAGONIA NIGHTS BY ABIRD 

SOUNDS OF DANIEL EXITING HIS CLOSET 

PATAGONIA NIGHTS PLAYS THROUGHOUT 

DANIEL: Ugh. I can’t believe that passageway is getting worse. I feel like I have shrapnel and goo all over me. And I only have like an hour to spare here. This sucks. I feel like it’s been… damn. Have I really not been here in three days? How am I prioritizing the worse version of my life? What’s that about? So stupid. I hope there’s enough time to see Lo, at least. 

RECORDER CLICKS OFF 

RECORDER CLICKS ON 

SOUNDS OF STUDENTS WORKING 

DANIEL: I’m sorry, excuse me, er… Julia? Can you repeat that again, now that I’m recording? What do you claim Lola Velasquez is doing right now that is keeping her from the newspaper which she lives, eats and breathes? 

JULIA: Chillax, dude. Enough with the Anderson Cooper routine. Lola is sick. Or like, she claims to be sick. I don’t know. I don’t talk to her. Why don’t you know? 

DANIEL: Hey! You’re not the one conducting this interview! 

JULIA: This is not an interview! Are you cracked in the head? Lola’s been out sick for like days. If you’re so worried, why don’t you like, call her? I have a lot of articles to work on. 

DANIEL: (MUMBLES) Save it for Rotten Tomatoes. 

RECORDER CLICKS OFF 

PHONE DIALING 

STUDENTS IN BACKGROUND 

DANIEL: Lola? 

LOLA: Heey, Danny? What’s up? 

DANIEL: Um. Nothing. Just um...at the paper. We’re all really worried about you. LOLA: Oh, man. Is it 3 already? Time is so weird when you’re home. 

DANIEL: Yeah, I guess. But..what’s...how are you doing? Living it up on that ‘Tussin? 

LOLA: Uh, no. Not exactly. I just… just wasn’t feeling too hot. But there’s no need to... I’ll be fine by tomorrow, I’m sure of it. 

DANIEL: Julia says you’ve been out for several days? 

LOLA: Did… did you just notice??? 

MUSIC (DON’T STRAY - INSTRUMENTAL) PLAYS 

DANIEL: Um, no, no! I-I noticed. Obviously. I… don’t know why I said that. I j I guess i-it just sounded concerning when she said it like that. You’re never out for too long, if ever. Have you ever really been sick? Are you an android I mean, except when you broke your arm and even androids need new parts. 

LOLA: Danny...I...I I’m fine. You don’t need a weird pass at levity. I’m… okay. It’s nice to take a break once in a while.

DANIEL: This… is so weird, Lo. You-you never talk about breaks. 

LOLA: Geez, get off my case already or write a book about it. It’s fine. I’m fine. Can we talk about the grammar issues in your last article? 

DANIEL: G-grammar issues? How dare??? 

LOLA: Point. 

DANIEL: Right. Okay, you got me. But Lola, I really-- 

LOLA: And aren’t you wasting valuable club time by talking to me right now, anyway? 

DANIEL: I-I guess… 

LOLA: Glad we agree. See you tomorrow. 

SHE HANGS UP 

DANIEL: Well that was weird. Maybe I should go home - I mean, my shitty life. Or my other life. Whatever. 

RECORDER CLICKS OFF 

PATAGONIA NIGHTS (EERIE VERSION) PLAYS 

RECORDER CLICKS ON 

DANIEL: I texted Lola. I-I mean, this Lola. Shitty Life Lola. I figured she might be sick too. If the only difference in the two worlds is me. Which...I think is true? Then I don’t see why she would be sick in one world and ok in another. Not that… this Lola is probably too mad at me to respond, anyway, and if she does, I doubt she’ll reveal the extent of her mysterious illness. 

MUSIC FADES

Or latent truantism. But… you know. I tried. Anyway, I have to get my head back into the game. In an hour or so, I will be meeting with Katie, Porter and Jorge for the interview at Lilah Greene’s house, within which we will be discussing the details of Rose’s disappearance and see if there’s any connection with-- 

A COUPLE OF KNOCKS ON THE DOOR 

TYRONE: Daniel? 

DANIEL: Yeah, Dad? 

TYRONE: You’re early from school today, I just wanted to check in if everything is okay? 

DANIEL: Oh, yeah-yeah, Dad. I didn’t have Newspaper at 3 today because instead the group is doing an interview at 5. 

TYRONE: That newspaper you began at Easton really took off, hasn’t it? It’s really something to watch you take this on. You know I was proud of all you did in Chapple Valley and at Paulson, but...I don’t know. I look at you now, I think about the guts it takes to come to a new place and make something out of nothing, all on your own. I don’t know if I would have been able to do it when I was your age. You really amaze me. 

DANIEL: Geez, Dad, it’s just a couple of kids writing movie - uh, book reviews. 

TYRONE: It’s more than that. Just like you’re more than a kid that writes reviews. 

PAUSE FOR A BEAT 

TYRONE: And you and these kids? You’re getting along? Are those the same ones you had dinner with last night? 

DANIEL: It was a hot pock- yeah, yeah. They’re okay. 

TYRONE: Well, if you’re getting close to these classmates, I would like to meet their parents at some point.

DANIEL: What? Dad, it’s not like a playdate. You don’t need to know all my friends! 

TYRONE: I would like to know them. It gives me a piece of mind to know where you are. When you were missing that one day last month, I must have called Lola’s parents a hundred times and what good was that? If that ever happens again, which it shouldn’t, but if your phone breaks or something happens I’m not flying blind again. I need to know who I’m supposed to be harassing with phone calls at the very least. 

DANIEL: But Dad-- 

TYRONE: I get it. It’s embarrassing to have your father on your case like this. I know you’re still trying to...find your place here. We can table this for a few days while you feel things out. But it comes down to being able to reach you in an emergency and that’s non-negotiable. 

DANIEL: Okay… okay. I didn’t realize how much you’d miss me, Dad. 

TYRONE: Danny, my life would be a grey nothing without you. Do you understand? 

DANIEL: Dad... 

RECORDER CLICKS OFF 

RECORDER CLICKS ON 

STREET SOUNDS 

FOOTSTEPS 

DANIEL: Oh, hey. Porter. Are you… is it - is it just you? 

PORTER: Well, Katie lost the address. So, I’m texting her. 

DANIEL: Oh… and Jorge?

PORTER: Has never been on time for anything in his life. I’m on it. They’ll - they’ll be here. You can exhale. 

DANIEL: ...cool. Uh, thanks. 

PORTER: Yeah. Don’t mention it. 

DANIEL: For everything. You really… you help a lot. 

PORTER: ...Dude, c’mon. I put duct tape on a surge protector. 

DANIEL: No, not just that. I wasn’t here half the time. I had stuff going on. And you- You know this wouldn’t have happened if you hadn’t of sort of held things together for everyone. 

PORTER: It’s fine. 

DANIEL: It’s just-I know I can be a little much sometimes and you, you’re...you know, you’re always so grounded. 

PORTER: No, stop. It’s fine. 

DANIEL: We could give you a credit. IT Support. 

PORTER: You really don’t have to. 

DANIEL: You don’t have to just be IT, either! Next issue you could write something. It could be sports, or-or announcements or even like, I don’t know, game reviews? 

PORTER: So, that’s what this is? You’re soliciting work. 

DANIEL: NO, it’s I...it’s the opposite! You were doing work! I wanted you to get Some of the glory, that’s all! I didn’t mean to be… oh god, it’s like when I’m with you… uh, with you guys I’m always- I always say one thing that’s going to offend. I was trying to uh, I was...you know what, never mind. 

PORTER: (CHUCKLES) Relax. I’m fucking with you.

DANIEL: Oh. Right. I knew that. 

PORTER: Don’t you hate reviews, anyway? 

DANIEL: Don’t memorize facts about me. 

THEY BOTH LAUGH 

PORTER: There actually is something I’ve been meaning to ask you. 

DANIEL: Oh… um, sure. What is it? 

PORTER: That day out back behind the school. You were recording us, right? You said it was off, but I’ve seen you. That thing is never off. 

DANIEL: Uhhh… 

TWO SETS OF FOOTSTEPS 

KATIE: Sorry, sorry! We’re late, I know! 

DANIEL: It’s fine, let’s just get-- 

JORGE: Sup? 

DANIEL: Hi, Jorge. Great to see you. Let’s um, let’s get going though, OK? We’re late. 

KATIE: Sure, thing, Chief! 

FOUR SETS OF FOOTSTEPS 

KATIE: You’re already taking out your recording thingamajig? Tell me when you start recording, I have a lot to say! Rose and I were really good friends from fourth to sixth grade! We made cookies together at her house and we started a babysitting business - that’s how I met Porter! We babysat Derek when he was like, six. Porter’s parents were sooo nice and they paid us like 8 dollars an hour and let us babysit him together. Though Porter didn’t ever have any good movies for kids, all we ever did was look at photo albums. Did you know that Porter wore a cloth diaper-- 

PORTER: We’re getting off-topic here, Katie. 

DANIEL: W-what... what the heck is a cloth diaper? 

PORTER: Some people get rashes from the disposable kind, ok? 

KATIE: Oh, relax, man. That was just practice. I’ll be much more focused when he’s actually starts recording. 

DANIEL: It was already-- 

PORTER: (GROANS) 

JORGE: (SNIGGERS) 

DANIEL: You know, no one else ever actually hears these. 

A KNOCK ON A DOOR 

DANIEL: Jorge! Why did you do that? I wasn’t ready yet-- 

THE DOOR OPENS 

DANIEL: H--Hello, Mrs. Greene. 

LILAH GREENE: Come in, everyone. Katie! You’ve grown so much! What a lovely young woman you’ve become, my dear. 

SOUNDS OF THE GROUP SHUFFLING IN 

KATIE: Hi, Mrs. G. It’s-- it’s nice to see you. 

DANIEL: Er, where should we do this? What would be most comfortable for you? 

LILAH GREENE: You must be Daniel Jones from the phone. Thank you for doing this piece on my daughter. Here, we can all sit in the living room. Would anyone like some tea? 

KATIE: Oh yes! Do you still have the… er… Lady Grey tea? 

LILAH GREENE: Of course, my dear. I remember you always did like that one. Do you still drink it with milk and honey? 

KATIE: I hadn’t had it since… yes, I would love it like that. 

LILAH GREENE: Anyone else? 

DANIEL: I’ll have the same. 

JORGE: Yep. 

PORTER: Uh, just water for me. I’m not a big tea drinker. 

SOUNDS OF FOOTSTEPS WALKING AWAY 

DANIEL: I’ll ask the questions.

PORTER: Uh, excuse me, but shouldn’t Jorge ask the questions? This is his find after all. 

KATIE: Mrs. G isn’t a find, Porter! She’s a mom without her kid, and you have to be a little less… abrasive, okay? 

PORTER: When am I ever abrasive? 

JORGE: (faking Porter’s voice) I’m not a big tea drinker. 

PORTER: (IN MOCK HORROR) Et tu, Jorge?? 

FOOTSTEPS COMING BACK 

DANIEL: (WHISPERING) Okay, Jorge can ask the questions! Jorge, you okay with taking the lead? 

JORGE: Yep.

LILAH GREENE: I took the liberty to bring out some biscuits. And here’s your water, young man. 

GLASSES CLINKS/LIQUID POURING THROUGHOUT 

PORTER: Oh, shi-- I mean, thank you. My name is Porter Egan. And, um, you already know Daniel Jones and Katie Chu. Jorge Perrera is the one doing the article, so he’ll be asking the questions. 

SOUND OF TAKING OUT SOME BOOKS AND 

PUTTING THEM ON A TABLE 

PAGES FLIPPING 

LILAH GREENE: Lovely to meet you all. I have a photo album right there, and here’s a collection of some of her artwork. You’ll notice I have many of them hanging on the walls as well, so if you see one that you like for the paper, just let me know. 

JORGE: I remember-I remember your daughter very well, Mrs. Greene. She was in my homeroom. I remember she loved to wear big jangly bracelets that clinked every time she raised her hand in class, which was all the time. She was very smart. 

LILAH GREENE: Oh… thank you, young man. Jorge, you said? 

JORGE: Yes. I… also remember the day when there was an announcement in class, and the speech in the auditorium. We were all so surprised when she went missing. Like… she wasn’t the kind of girl who’d go missing… Not to say that any girl is… just… uh… 

KATIE: Rose was very good about following rules. Right, Jorge? 

JORGE: Yes. Exactly. It was just a shock to everyone. Mrs. Greene, now that it’s been three years, do you perhaps have any new insights on what may have happened?

LILAH GREENE: (TAKING A DEEP BREATH) I… n-no, I don’t. She didn’t come home one day and I had called the police within the hour, because she always came home at 3:15. They say that the first 48 hours are crucial in a missing person’s case, but it did no good. She was just gone. 

JORGE: Do you think it’s possible she just ran away? Was she acting strangely? 

LILAH GREENE: I frequently hope that she ran away and that she’s living a good life somewhere... but, it is so unlikely. Like you said, she was the kind of kid that followed the rules. She seemed happy enough. Lots of friends, including the lovely Katie here. She enjoyed school. She loved drawing and we’d frequently do a little family trip to the beach or a forest so she could draw from life. “En plein air” she’d say. Though, I guess, we didn’t do that as much when she started the seventh grade. She was more interested in drawing people suddenly. People in… suffering. That was only for a little bit, however, maybe a month or two. And then she was back. Drawing cityscapes and our old cat, Chagall. He’s passed away since her disappearance. 

DANIEL: You say “disappearance”. Uh, you don’t think she’s… dead? 

LILAH GREENE: (LONG PAUSE) I just feel like I’d know if she was dead. She feels like she vanished. My only hope now is that wherever she is, she isn’t suffering… and that one day, I will see her again. 

KATIE: I think we have enough for the tribute. 

DANIEL: But-- 

KATIE: Daniel, why don’t you pick out some art pieces for the newspaper? 

DANIEL: I… uh, o-okay. 

KATIE AND LILAH’S VOICES SLOWLY FADE AS DANIEL MOVES FARTHER AWAY 

KATIE: Can I just ask you one more thing, Mrs. G?

LILAH GREENE: Er… sure, my dear. 

KATIE: Where do you buy these awesome biscuits? I think I need to get some for my next throw... 

THEIR VOICES FADE INTO THE BACKGROUND 

DANIEL: Like I thought, this was just a normal disappearance of a young girl, and has nothing to do with what’s been happening to me. I admit that I got my hopes up that there would be a connection but that doesn’t matter right now. This poor woman… she still has so much of her daughter’s art everywhere, even on the fridge. How can you move on and stop missing someone if your entire life is a memorial to that person? The art is surprisingly good, especially knowing that the artist was a pre-teen. This one of an open shutter is kind of incredible, you can almost see inside of this person’s home, like, this little dark space where there’s a rocking chair and someone’s knees, but that’s it. A cozy little enclosure of someone I’ll never know. Or this one of a garden gate into a sunlit orchard... but you can’t see much because of all the trees in the way. Or this car door and all you can see are hands on a wheel, but not the person inside. Kind of like I’m about to get into the car as a passenger… And- (SMALL INTAKE OF BREATH) 

MUSIC (EXTREME VIOLENCE) PLAYS 

DANIEL: The door. My… door. My warehouse door! Oh shit… h- how is this here? 

(ANOTHER BREATH) The signature on it… on all of it… it’s a rosebud. Rose… 

MUSIC FADES 

SOUND OF PAPER BEING MOVED GENTLY 

SOUND OF WALKING

LILAH GREENE: (TO KATIE) Oh, I’m not too...sure... 

DANIEL: Mrs. Greene? Do you know this one? 

LILAH GREENE: Oh! That’s from my refrigerator? That’s the one you like? But I have a really pretty one of a lake, maybe that one instead? Let me get it, it’s just hanging up over the shelf-- 

DANIEL: No, no, no this is the one. 

LILAH GREENE: That was the last one she drew before she... of course, if that’s the one that speaks to you, you may have it for your tribute. 

DANIEL: Thank you, Mrs. Greene. Uh, you… you don’t know why she drew this, by any chance? 

LILAH GREENE: She had an interest in doorways for a bit, but I don’t know why. After the disappearance, I spoke to a therapist, hoping it would give me some clues about where she went. It wasn’t too terribly helpful… she told me that it’s possible the pieces may have been a manifestation of her fears and anticipation of entering a new phase of her life. That maybe she had a deep desire to become more adult, but also had concerns about it. These doorway pieces show that she was dipping her toe into what was about to become a permanent phase of adulthood to her. However… I don’t remember her being all that cautious ever before. And who knows if that interpretation has anything to do with reality? The only person who could tell us what she was thinking at that time would have been Rose herself. Still… I do wonder if those doorways… whatever they were, if she made it through… (SOFT SIGH) 

KATIE: Mrs. G… you okay? 

LILAH GREENE: Oh, yes. I… I think I’ve had enough. Is there anything else that you kids need for the tribute? 

DANIEL: No, I think we’ve got more than we’ve even hoped for, Mrs. Greene. I- we all appreciate that you took the time and showed us who Rose was. Uh, we will make sure to send you the piece when we finish.

LILAH GREENE: That would be lovely, Daniel. Thank you all. 

SOUNDS OF EVERYONE GETTING UP TO LEAVE 

KATIE: Thank you, Mrs. G. And maybe… I can visit you sometimes? 

LILAH GREENE: Of course, Katie. You’re all invited to come. 

THEY GO OUT INTO THE STREET/STREET SOUNDS 

PORTER: Well, that was depressing. 

KATIE: Oh, Porter. You always know what to say. 

PORTER: Sorry I didn’t… do much. It seemed like you had it covered. I didn’t know her as well as you two. I mean, I guess I did kinda know her but not enough to like... help at all. I wish we could have like… you know, cracked the case wide open or something. She seemed so stuck, you know? 

KATIE: Yeah… for Mrs. G’s sake, I wish we were able to solve the case too. It’s always worse on the people we leave behind, isn’t it? 

DANIEL: I… guess. But, maybe, maybe Rose is somewhere better? I mean, what if she is? 

KATIE: I don’t think it matters where Rose is. Look at her mom. If I was Rose, and I had the ability, I would come right back. This just isn’t right. 

DANIEL: I know, I know. It’s terrible. But we have no idea what’s going on with Rose. Not really. Maybe she can’t come back. 

PORTER: I mean, yeah. You can’t come back if you’re… you know. Not living. 

KATIE: Porter! 

PORTER: What? Aren’t you guys “journalists”? I mean, I don’t want her to be dead, but you can’t keep dancing around the most likely option if you’re all about truth and justice. Her mom thinks she’s alive but... that’s her mom. She’s not exactly objective. She probably never will be. 

JORGE: ... Anyone want a Five Cheese? 

DANIEL: Yes, please, most definitely. 

RECORDER CLICKS OFF 

MAIN THEME/PATAGONIA NIGHTS PLAYS 

TIM: My Parallel Life is written and produced by Vera Greentea and Jasmine Brown. The audio for this podcast is recorded and mixed by Mike Umile. Music is created and performed by aBIRD. My Parallel Life stars LC Witter, Julian Thomas, Shiree Nicholas Christopher, Steph Marie Alvarez, Louis Walker, Jayme Face, Timothy Rodriguez, Rajiv Miller, Siera Louis Gene and Jasmine Brown. Website and credits are by Timothy Rodriguez. 

To learn more about My Parallel Life and the fantastic crew of people who make it, visit our website: jumpycatstudios.com. If you’d like to help us spread the word, please give us a five star review and tell your friends to subscribe at any major podcast platform. This episode’s a wrap, see you in another dimension!