It's Saturday, 12:30 p.m. following my viewing of a foreign Polish film, "Strike" at the Royale Theatre in Santa Monica. I'm eating a chicken salad at McDonald's. Just a few feet away from where I'm sitting, are five guys, three black and two white. They are loudly chattering away, cracking jokes and telling stories.

The biggest black guy, dressed to the hilt, dominates the scene: "I'm in a relationship, now, he says, "It's between me and the Lord. You don't need anyone else." With his booming voice and imposing presence, you would think it was Sunday and that he was preaching from a pulpit. Everyone listens, his words are convincing. Facinated, I listen, too, chewing my food slowing, trying to avoid eye contact.,

There is a humorous, yet serious bantering about between him and his buddies, a loud cackling laughter like raucous crows; a carrying on like you wouldn't believe. The air is charged with electricity.

A young, white, blond guy in his mid-twenties, neatly dressed, strolls in. He is greeted by one of the group: "Hi man, come on over...we're having a good conversation. What's up?"

Strolling over to the group he says, "Well, I got an e-mail from Kathy Ireland...she's a millionaire. She wants to do a cruise with me for three weeks, all expenses paid.. How lucky can you get? I was supposed to interview Mohamad Ali in Maryland today but I turned it down because I wanted to be here for this - something more important."

Enthusiasm is mounting, the air is electrified and the voices continue to carry. The names Oprah Winfrey and Whoopie Goldberg come into the conversation but I can't catch the details.

I am swallowing down my last bite of food when suddenly, they walk out. It is as though the curtain has come down after a lively one act play. The place seems so dead. I sit here wishing that it was only intermission and that acts two and three would follow.

(Live entertainment at McDonald's today, was much more intriguguing than the award winning film at the Royale.)

Copyright © 2007 Mary L. Ports