Thursday, 12 February 2009

Coffee House #2

The concept is a simple one. I take my recorder into a coffee house somewhere on the planet and secretly tape conversations. Then I decide which is the most interesting and edit it to fit by blog. These are candid moments from the mouths of unsuspecting strangers all over the globe. This is my second attempt and I traveled to Kon-Tiki, Montana. The coffee house is called "Sacred Grounds". I will again be very careful to refer to each person generically to maintain their anonymity.


Male #1: Hank, how much do you know about the Bible?
Male #2: I know a little bit, Tom…just enough to be dangerous (ha ha)..
Male #1: Do you know anything about secret codes?
Male #2: You mean, like, video game cheat codes?
Male #1: No, like hidden codes, military spy stuff.
Male #2: I'm a big fan of espionage movies! I think I could crack a secret code if I had enough time.
Male #1: Well, I found this Bible that is either written in another language or it contains some kind of mystery code…I'm just not sure which.

Male #2: Where did you find it?
Male #1: It was left "accidentally" at a bus stop. No one was around, so I took it!
Male #2: Well, Mr. Heever, let's take a look at it.
Male #1: Here it is. Be careful…I keep it in this box, it's underneath the Superman comic.
Male #2: Well, the cover is in English!
Male #1: That's just it! Open it up and look inside!
Male #2: I see what you mean! I don't recognize this kind of lettering…uh, I'm thinking we should inform the FBI or the CIA.
Male #1: So you think it's in code or something?
Male #2: Tom…it has to be!
Male #1: Well, Hank Lupis, it DOESN"T have to be! This could be one of those "Russian" Bibles!
Male #2: No, it ain't Russian, I tell ya! The COVER is in ENGLISH! It's some kind of SECRET CODE!
Male #1: Hey! Wait a second! It's upside down! It's in English all right. The printer must have goofed and printed the cover upside down!

Male #2: …shhhh!...that's even better! Don't you SEE?! This could be worth millions…like a U.S. stamp that's printed wrong…We need to wait ten or eleven years to make sure the original plates have been destroyed…then sell it to the highest bidder! We'll be in all the newspapers! We'll be on national television! We'll be filthy RICH! We'll be FAMOUS!
Male #1: …what do you mean "WE"?

It was at that moment that the CIA, the FBI and AARP came in and ordered a cup of coffee with a hint of butter pecan.

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